Alterations in Growth, Photosynthesis, and Respiration in a Starchless Mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Deficient in Chloroplast Phosphoglucomutase Activity

A mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. which lacks leaf starch was isolated by screening for plants which did not stain with iodine. The starchless phenotype, confirmed by quantitative enzymic analysis, is caused by a single recessive nuclear mutation which results in a deficiency of the chloroplast isozyme of phosphoglucomutase. When grown in a 12-h photoperiod, leaves of the wild-type accumulated substantial amounts of starch but lower levels of soluble sugars. Under these conditions, the mutant accumulated relatively high levels of soluble sugars. Rates of growth and net photosynthesis of the mutant and wild-type were indistinguishable when the plants were grown in constant illumination. However, in a short photoperiod, the growth of the mutant was severely impaired, the rate of photosynthesis was depressed relative to the wild-type, and the rate of dark respiration, which was high following the onset of darkness, exhibited an uncharacteristic decay throughout the dark period. The altered control of respiration by the mutant, which may be related to the relatively high levels of soluble carbohydrate that accumulate in the leaf and stem tissue, is believed to be partially responsible for the low growth rate of the mutant in short days. The depressed photosynthetic capacity of the mutant may also reflect a metabolic adaptation to the accumulation of high levels of soluble carbohydrate which mimics the effects of alterations in source/sink ratio. The activities of sucrose phosphate synthase and acid invertase are significantly higher in the mutant than in the wild-type whereas ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activity is lower. This suggests that the activities of these enzymes may be modulated in response to metabolite concentrations or flux through the pathways.