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Guzmania monostachia is an epiphytic heteroblastic bromeliad that exhibits rosette leaves forming water-holding tanks at maturity. Different portions along its leaf blades can display variable degrees of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) up-regulation under drought. Since abscisic acid (ABA) can act as an important long-distance signal, we conducted a joint investigation of ontogenetic and drought impacts on CAM intensity and ABA levels in different leaf groups within the G. monostachia rosette. For this, three groups of leaves were analysed according to their position within the mature-tank rosette (i.e., younger, intermediate, and older leaves) to characterize the general growth patterns and magnitude of drought-modulated CAM expression. CAM activity was evaluated by analysing key molecules in the biochemical machinery of this photosynthetic pathway, while endogenous ABA content was comparatively measured in different portions of each leaf group after seven days under well-watered (control) or drought treatment. The results revealed that G. monostachia shows more uniform morphological characteristics along the leaves when in the atmospheric stage. The drought treatment of mature-tank rosettes generally induced in older leaves a more severe water loss, followed by the lowest CAM activity and a higher increase in ABA levels, while younger leaves showed an opposite response. Therefore, leaf groups at distinct ontogenetic stages within the tank rosette of G. monostachia responded to drought with variable degrees of water loss and CAM expression. ABA seems to participate in this tissue-compartmented response as a long-distance signalling molecule, transmitting the drought-induced signals originated in older leaves towards the younger ones., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Premise: Because of its broad range in the neotropical rainforest and within tree canopies, the tank bromeliad Guzmania monostachia was investigated as a model of how varying leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) could help plants resist and recover from episodic drought. The two pathways of Kleaf, inside and outside the xylem, were also examined to determine the sites and causes of major hydraulic resistances within the leaf. Methods: We measured leaf hydraulic conductance for plants in the field and laboratory under wet, dry, and rewetted conditions and applied physiological, anatomical, and gene expression analysis with modeling to investigate changes in Kleaf. Results: After 7 d with no rain in the field or 14 days with no water in the glasshouse, Kleaf decreased by 50% yet increased to hydrated values within 4 d of tank refilling. Staining to detect embolism combined with modeling indicated that changes outside the xylem were of greater importance to Kleaf than were changes inside the xylem and were associated with changes in intercellular air spaces (aerenchyma), aquaporin expression and inhibition, and cuticular conductance. Conclusions: Low values for all conductances during drying, particularly in pathways outside the xylem, lead to hydraulic resilience for this species and may also contribute to its broad environmental tolerances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Guzmania monostachia is an epiphyte tank bromeliad capable of up-regulating crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) in response to several environmental stimuli, including drought and light stress. In other plant species, abscisic acid (ABA) and nitric oxide (NO) seem to be involved in CAM induction. Because the leaves of tank bromeliads perform different functions along their length, this study attempted to investigate whether ABA and NO are involved in regulation of CAM expression in this species by quantifying these compounds in apical and basal portions of the leaf, and whether there would be differences in this event for each leaf portion. Detached leaves exposed to a 30% polyethylene glycol solution showed a significant upregulation of CAM on the seventh day of treatment only in the apical portion, as indicated by nocturnal acid accumulation and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) activity. On the three days prior to CAM induction, ABA, NO and H2O2 were quantified. The amounts of ABA were higher in PEG-exposed leaves, along their entire length. NO, however, was higher only in the apical portion, precisely where CAM was up-regulated. H2O2 was higher only in the basal portion of PEG-exposed leaves. Our results suggest that ABA might be a systemic signal to drought, occurring in the entire leaf. NO and H2O2, however, may be signals restricted only to the apical or basal portions, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]