Cells (Nov 2023)

The Adaptive Role of Carotenoids and Anthocyanins in <i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> Pigment Mutants under High Irradiance

  • Aleksandr Ashikhmin,
  • Maksim Bolshakov,
  • Pavel Pashkovskiy,
  • Mikhail Vereshchagin,
  • Alexandra Khudyakova,
  • Galina Shirshikova,
  • Anna Kozhevnikova,
  • Anatoliy Kosobryukhov,
  • Vladimir Kreslavski,
  • Vladimir Kuznetsov,
  • Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12212569
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 21
p. 2569

Abstract

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The effects of high-intensity light on the pigment content, photosynthetic rate, and fluorescence parameters of photosystem II in high-pigment tomato mutants (hp 3005) and low-pigment mutants (lp 3617) were investigated. This study also evaluated the dry weight percentage of low molecular weight antioxidant capacity, expression patterns of some photoreceptor-regulated genes, and structural aspects of leaf mesophyll cells. The 3005 mutant displayed increased levels of photosynthetic pigments and anthocyanins, whereas the 3617 mutant demonstrated a heightened content of ultraviolet-absorbing pigments. The photosynthetic rate, photosystem II activity, antioxidant capacity, and carotenoid content were most pronounced in the high-pigment mutant after 72 h exposure to intense light. This mutant also exhibited an increase in leaf thickness and water content when exposed to high-intensity light, suggesting superior physiological adaptability and reduced photoinhibition. Our findings indicate that the enhanced adaptability of the high-pigment mutant might be attributed to increased flavonoid and carotenoid contents, leading to augmented expression of key genes associated with pigment synthesis and light regulation.

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