Mechanism and physiological significance of aggregative movement of mesophyll chloroplasts in C4 plants in response to environmental stresses

本研究旨在阐明C4植物叶肉叶绿体在逆境胁迫下向维管束鞘细胞聚集再分配的细胞内运动的分子机制及其生理意义。我们发现叶肉叶绿体的聚集运动是由植物逆境激素脱落酸和蓝光诱导的。对许多植物叶绿体运动的研究表明，叶肉叶绿体的聚集运动是C_4植物普遍的生理反应，而不是C_3植物。这种反应被认为是C3植物进化到C4植物过程中获得的一种环境胁迫抗性机制。

This research aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism and physiological significance of the intracellular movement of mesophyll chloroplasts redistributing aggregatively toward the bundle sheath cells of C4 plants in response to environmental stresses. We found that the aggregative movement of mesophyll chloroplasts is induced by abscisic acid, a plant stress hormone, and blue light. A survey of the chloroplast movement in many plant species revealed that the aggregative movement of mesophyll chloroplasts is a universal physiological response of C4 plants, but not C3 plant. It is thought that the response is one of the environmental stress-resistant mechanisms acquired during the evolution from C3 to C4 plants.