The effects of growth salinity and irradiance on thylakoid stacking in lettuce plants

The basic objective of this research, which emphasizes the dynamic nature of thylakoid stacking, was to elaborate on the responsiveness of thylakoid membrane stacking to environmental conditions in order to investigate the role of stacking in the adaptive processes of photosynthesis. By integrating the information on salinity-induced cation changes in leaves with information on the in vitro effects of cations on thylakoid stacking, we provided a basis for testing the sensitivity of the stacking process to growth salinity, an environmental factor which had not been previously discussed in those terms. We accomplished this by using methods of digitonin fractionation to show that growth salinity altered the degree of thylakoid stacking in lettuce plants. Furthermore, we established that growth salinity and irradiance interacted in such a way that the moderate salinization of the nutrient solution was associated with less stacking at high irradiances and more stacking at low irradiances, both relative to controls.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Plant Biology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Carter, Douglas R.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Cheeseman, John M.

• Biology, General
• Biology, Botany
• Biology, Plant Physiology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1990 Carter, Douglas R.

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9114190
(UMI)AAI9114190

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/19318