Abiotic Stress and Systemic Acquired Acclimation in Plants

Flashcards covering abiotic stress, photosynthetic photoinhibition, systemic signaling mechanisms, ROS wave propagation, and systemic acquired acclimation in plants.

Abiotic Stress

A major cause of loss to crop production, causing global yield losses of $10\text{--}25\text{ }\%$ per $1^\circ\text{C}$ of warming.

Photoinhibition

The state occurring when excess excitation energy exceeds the light utilizing capacity of the photosynthetic machinery, leading to the formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).

Systemic Signaling

The ability of a plant to mobilize a signal triggered by stress stimuli, pathogens, or altered metabolic state from a small group of cells in a particular tissue to the entire plant.

Systemic Acquired Acclimation (SAA)

An acclimation response of plants to abiotic stresses characterized by a rapid spread of systemic signals that reach remote systemic tissue within minutes.

Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR)

The systemic defense response of plants triggered by pathogen infection or wounding.

ROS Wave

An auto-propagating wave of Reactive Oxygen Species production mediated via RBOHD activation that carries a stress-specific signal at rates up to $8.4\,cm/min$.

RBOHD (RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG D)

A protein that produces Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) utilizing NADPH during the propagation of systemic signals.

CPK (Calcium Dependent Protein Kinase)

A kinase that activates the RBOHD protein in each cell along the path of the ROS wave.

Stomata

Epidermal pores on the leaf surface surrounded by guard cells that control gas exchange and transpiration through turgor pressure.