Navigation Links
Why some grasses evolved a more efficient photosynthesis and others didn't
Date:12/24/2012

er ratio of bundle sheath cells to mesophyll cells (cells that fill in the area between veins).

In C4 plants, such an anatomical arrangement facilitates a more efficient transfer and processing of CO2 in the bundle sheath cells when CO2 is in relatively short supply. When temperatures get hot or plants become stressed, they stop taking in as much CO2, creating just such a shortage within the leaf.

So PACMADs as a group had developed an anatomical predisposition to C4 photosynthesis that BEP grasses didn't, said senior author Erika Edwards, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Brown.

"We found that consistently these PACMAD C3s are very different anatomically than the C3 BEPs," she said. "We think that was the evolutionary stepping stone to C4-like physiology."

When the new leaves turned over

It didn't used to be this way. Back around 60 or so million years ago, BEP and PACMAD grasses were more similar and both headed in the same direction. The distance between the leaf veins in both clades had been growing closer together. But then they started to diverge in a key way. The bundle sheath cells surrounding the veins in BEP grasses started to shrink down while those in PACMAD grasses stayed larger.

For a long time the climate didn't particularly punish or reward either of those directions. But then climate changed, and opportunity knocked, Edwards said. Only PACMAD was near the proverbial door.

"When atmospheric CO2 decreased tens of millions of years after the split of the BEP and PACMAD clades, a combination of shorter [distances between veins] and large [sheath] cells existed only in members of the PACMAD clade, limiting C4 evolution to this lineage," Christin and co-authors wrote in the paper.

The researchers also found that evolution among C4 grasses was anatomically nuanced. Some C4 grasses evolved because of advantageous changes in outer sheath cells, whil
'/>"/>

Contact: David Orenstein
david_orenstein@brown.edu
401-863-1862
Brown University
Source:Eurekalert  

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. Seagrasses can store as much carbon as forests
2. Gases from grasses
3. Leading evolutionary scientist to discuss how genome of bacteria has evolved
4. Excessive worrying may have co-evolved with intelligence
5. Out of the mouths of primates, facial mechanics of human speech may have evolved
6. Ion selectivity in neuronal signaling channels evolved twice in animals
7. Menopause evolved to prevent competition between in-laws
8. A clearer picture of how assassin bugs evolved
9. New study sheds light on how and when vision evolved
10. Computer model pinpoints prime materials for efficient carbon capture
11. How bumblebees find efficient routes without a GPS
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
Why some grasses evolved a more efficient photosynthesis and others didn't
(Date:5/16/2013)... , May 16, 2013 ... Enhancement Award on Tuesday to Germany,s ... exceptional biometric border control system. DERMALOG has ... the Best Practices Award in the category Global Biometrics ... cutting edge Biometric   Border Control System . ...
(Date:5/15/2013)... have powerful behavioral effects on diverse organisms often ... according to a theory proposed in the June ... the theory, Ryan P. Ferrer of Seattle Pacific ... of California at Los Angeles, liken such molecules ... be uncommon but exert a controlling influence, through ...
(Date:5/15/2013)... Canada,s goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to ... year 2020, federal and provincial governments, led by the ... what portion of the total GHG reduction will be ... of Toronto,s School of the Environment. Their report ... governments, opposition parties and other participants in the climate ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Global Biometrics and Border Control Award for DERMALOG 2Global Biometrics and Border Control Award for DERMALOG 3Global Biometrics and Border Control Award for DERMALOG 4Natural 'keystone molecules' punch over their weight in ecosystems 2Canada must addess real climate-change challenge 2Canada must addess real climate-change challenge 3
... TORONTO, Ont., June 21, 2011Researchers at St. Michael,s Hospital ... for patients with kidney failure. Cells that help protect ... home during the night than those who undergo standard daytime ... nephrologist. This is important for patients with kidney ...
... DigitalPersona, Inc. , a global provider of authentication and ... the largest Popeye,s Chicken & Biscuits franchise in the ... to 148 locations throughout Alabama, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, ... deployment of fingerprint biometrics as a part of their ...
... T. Rochelle, a professor at The University of Texas ... with the Donald L. Katz Award from the Gas ... Rochelle during the organization,s annual convention in San Antonio ... in engineering education. , "Gary has a long ...
Cached Biology News:New evidence of the benefits of home dialysis for kidney patients 2Popeye's Restaurant Franchisee Uses DigitalPersona Fingerprint Biometrics to Reduce Employee Fraud 2Popeye's Restaurant Franchisee Uses DigitalPersona Fingerprint Biometrics to Reduce Employee Fraud 3University of Texas at Austin professor receives Donald L. Katz Award 2
(Date:5/17/2013)... 2013 •    First of its kind research ... ,     New facility will help solve crop stresses ... Syngenta unveiled its new crop research facility during ... Innovation Center. The first of its kind, $72 million ... agricultural climate and precisely measure plant inputs – the ...
(Date:5/17/2013)...  Yongye International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YONG ) ... distributor of crop nutrient products in the ... on May 16, 2013, the special committee (the "Special ... Directors") was provided a letter (the "Letter") issued by ... Limited ("Abax") to Full Alliance International Limited ("Full Alliance"). ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... Men’s skin is biologically different than women’s skin,( says skin ... known to react more aggressively when hormones change, and acne ... other acne causing factors like P.acnes bacteria and excess dirt ... unsightly acne scars. Adult acne treatment, Probiotic Action shares new ... to reduce and prevent acne scarring. , In order to ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... Rust removal is one of home maintenance's essential ... be damaged. To help rust contractors make it less expensive, ... rust remover it called Rusterizer. It announced that for ... , My Cleaning Products explained that rust could damage items ... them. The first one, it said, happens when rust ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Syngenta Opens Unique $72 Million Advanced Crop Lab 2Syngenta Opens Unique $72 Million Advanced Crop Lab 3Yongye International Provides Update on Status of Proposed Go Private Offer 2Yongye International Provides Update on Status of Proposed Go Private Offer 3Yongye International Provides Update on Status of Proposed Go Private Offer 4Adult Acne Treatment, Probiotic Action Shares New Insight on Why Men’s Skin Scars from Acne and How to Prevent It 2Organic-Based Rust Remover Cuts Down Price by 10%, My Cleaning Products Details Mechanics How to Get the Discount 2
... , GREAT RIVER, N.Y., Jan. 7 Netsmart ... for health and human services organizations, today announced the launch ... an organization for its use of Netsmart software and services ... achieve organizational goals, and respond to regulatory and reporting demands. ...
... , , EXTON, Pa., Jan. 7 ... TreatmentTrends®: US Nephrology, EU Nephrology, and Canadian Nephrology ... management of bone and mineral metabolism. The reports, similar ... based on responses to online surveys completed by over 300 ...
... FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. , Jan. 15 InfoSpi ... to provide further investment for the company,s growth in the coming ... how CEO Chris Hamilton views this decision. "Funding change ... ultimately reducing Carbon Emissions feature so highly on the agenda of ...
Cached Biology Technology:Netsmart Technologies Introduces Netsmart Customer Innovation Award to Recognize Outstanding Use of Technology to Impact Quality of Care 2Netsmart Technologies Introduces Netsmart Customer Innovation Award to Recognize Outstanding Use of Technology to Impact Quality of Care 3Three Nephrology TreatmentTrends Publications from BioTrends Provide a Comprehensive View of Bone and Mineral Metabolism Practice Patterns Around the Globe 2Three Nephrology TreatmentTrends Publications from BioTrends Provide a Comprehensive View of Bone and Mineral Metabolism Practice Patterns Around the Globe 3InfoSpi to Create $500m Green Hedge Fund Focusing on the Carbon Credit Market 2
... Signets Xylene Resistant (X/R) Red ... Chromogen, X/R Red Activator and X/R ... reacts with alkaline phosphatase to produce ... mounted. ,Kit Contains:, , Buffer, ...
Human Cell Line Slides...
Phospho-YAP (Ser127) Antibody Ship: Hot Store: -20 C...
Mouse Cell Line Slides...
Biology Products: