IAL   21557
INSTITUTO DE AGROBIOTECNOLOGIA DEL LITORAL
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
capítulos de libros
Título:
Carbon Metabolism and Plant Stress
Autor/es:
CARLOS M. FIGUEROA; ALBERTO A. IGLESIAS; FLORENCIO E. PODESTA
Libro:
Handbook of Plant and Crop Stress, Third Edition
Editorial:
Taylor and Francis LLC
Referencias:
Lugar: Tucson, Arizona, USA; Año: 2010; p. 447 - 463
Resumen:
The sessile lifestyle of plants imposes severe challenges to their ability to survive in a changing environment. Plants are affected by a variety of stresses including, but not limited to, water shortage, nutrients deficiency, presence of toxic compounds (natural or arising from contamination) and temperature extremes. A series of mechanisms have been developed by plants that allow the adjustment of the metabolic machinery to cope with unfavorable conditions, which in fact may be the prevailing situation in the wild. Carbon metabolism contributes in various manners with the adaptation to a stressful situation. Relocation of carbon skeletons for the synthesis of specific stress-related metabolites, excretion of organic acids to confront the presence of toxic metals or to minimize Pi deficiency or alterations in the main course of metabolic pathways through alternative routes are some of the responses observed. This chapter deals with the main adjustments of plant primary carbon metabolism to the most common forms of abiotic stress, which endow these organisms with the capacity to survive in a world of permanently changing situations. The outstanding role of carbohydrates for carbon and energy metabolism, forces to highlight their involvement as key components of cellular processes. We will analyze the different fates of carbohydrates produced by photosynthetic assimilation in plants. The analysis will make emphasis on how metabolic routes mainly operating in the cytosol are critical to direct carbohydrate fluxes to produce energy, reducing power, and transport or reserve molecules. The overall picture will seek for the understanding of relationships between carbohydrates and plant physiology and capacity to cope with different stress conditions.