Abstract
Photoperiod length induces in temperate plants major changes in growth rates, morphology and metabolism with, for example, modifications in the partitioning of photosynthates to avoid starvation at the end of long nights. However, this has never been studied for a tropical perennial species adapted to grow in a natural photoperiod close to 12 h/12 h all year long. We grew Coffea arabica L., an understorey perennial evergreen tropical species in its natural 12 h/12 h and in a short 8 h/16 h photoperiod, and we investigated its responses at the physiological, metabolic and transcriptomic levels. The expression pattern of rhythmic genes, including core clock genes, was affected by changes in photoperiod. Overall, we identified 2859 rhythmic genes, of which 89% were also rhythmic in Arabidopsis thaliana L. Under short-days, plant growth was reduced, and leaves were thinner with lower chlorophyll content. In addition, secondary metabolism was also affected with chlorogenic acid and epicatechin levels decreasing, and in agreement, the genes involved in lignin synthesis were overexpressed and those involved in the flavanol pathway were underexpressed. Our results show that the 8 h/16 h photoperiod induces drastic changes in morphology, metabolites and gene expression, and the responses for gene expression are similar to those observed in the temperate annual A. thaliana species. Short photoperiod induces drastic changes in gene expression, metabolites and leaf structure, some of these responses being similar to those observed in A. thaliana.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Photoperiod changed rhythmic gene expression patterns.
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Verbatim
e0“The expression pattern of rhythmic genes, including core clock genes, was affected by changes in photoperiod”
Claim · model-written summary
The study identified 2859 rhythmic genes.
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Verbatim
e0“we identified 2859 rhythmic genes”
Claim · model-written summary
Of the rhythmic genes, 89% were also rhythmic in Arabidopsis thaliana.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thaliana L.
Arabidopsis thalianae0 - Outcome
- rhythmice0
- Value
- 89%e0
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Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“89% were also rhythmic in Arabidopsis thaliana L.”
Claim · model-written summary
Short days reduced plant growth.
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Verbatim
e0“Under short-days, plant growth was reduced”
Claim · model-written summary
Short days produced thinner leaves.
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Verbatim
e0“Under short-days, plant growth was reduced, and leaves were thinner”
Claim · model-written summary
Short days lowered leaf chlorophyll content.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“leaves were thinner with lower chlorophyll content”
Claim · model-written summary
Short days decreased chlorogenic acid levels.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“chlorogenic acid and epicatechin levels decreasing”
Claim · model-written summary
Short days decreased epicatechin levels.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“epicatechin levels decreasing”
Claim · model-written summary
Lignin synthesis genes were overexpressed.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“the genes involved in lignin synthesis were overexpressed”
Claim · model-written summary
Flavanol pathway genes were underexpressed.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“those involved in the flavanol pathway were underexpressed”