Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Functional Plant Biology Functional Plant Biology Society
Plant function and evolutionary biology
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > FP > FP08166
REVIEW
Contents Vol 36(7)

Sporobolus stapfianus, a model desiccation-tolerant grass

Donald F. Gaff A D , Cecilia K. Blomstedt A , Alan D. Neale A , Tuan N. Le A B , John D. Hamill A and Hamid R. Ghasempour A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic. 3800, Australia.

B Present address: CSIRO Plant Industry, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

C Present address: Department of Biology, Razi University, Taghbostan, Kermanshah, Iran 6.

D Corresponding author. Email: don.gaff@sci.monash.edu.au

Functional Plant Biology 36(7) 589-599 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP08166
Submitted: 10 June 2008  Accepted: 15 May 2009   Published: 2 July 2009

Abstract

Sporobolus stapfianus Gandoger, one of ~40 known ‘anabiotic’grass species (i.e. ‘able to regain vital activity from a state of latent life’), is the most versatile tool for research into desiccation tolerance in vegetative grass tissue. Current knowledge on this species is presented, including the features that suit it for investigations into the plant’s ability to survive dehydration of its leaf protoplasm. The main contributors to desiccation tolerance in S. stapfianus leaves appear to be: accumulation during dehydration of protectants of membranes and proteins; mechanisms limiting oxidative damage; a retention of protein synthetic activity in late stages of drying that is linked with changes in gene expression and in the proteomic array; and an ability to retain net synthesis of ATP during drying. S. stapfianus exemplifies an advanced stage of an evolutionary trend in desiccation tolerant plants towards increased importance of the dehydration phase (for induction of tolerance, for synthesis of protectants and for proteomic changes).

Additional keywords: abscisic acid, evolution, gene expression, grazing potential, proteome, protoplasmic drought tolerance, resurrection plant, salt tolerance.


Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Rana Munns and Dr Janet L. Gaff for helpful suggestions in the preparation of the manuscript. Much of the research examined here was funded by grants to us from the Australian Research Council (A19230441), the Meat Research Council (UMON.004), the Rural Credits Scheme of the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Water Research Foundation.


References


Albini FM, Murelli C, Patritti G, Rovati M, Zienna P, Finzi PV (1994) Low-molecular weight substances from the resurrection plant Sporobolus stapfianus. Phytochemistry 37, 137–142.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Avonce N, Leyman B, Thevelian J, Iturriaga G (2005) Trehalose metabolism and glucose sensing in plants. Biochemical Society Transactions 33, 276–279.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Baker J, Steele C, Durre L (1988) Sequence and characterization of 6 Lea proteins and their genes from cotton. Plant Molecular Biology 11, 277–291.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Bartels D, Schneider K, Terstappen G, Piatowski D, Salamini F (1990) Molecular cloning of abscisic acid-modulated genes which are induced during desiccation of the resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum. Planta 181, 27–34.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Belsky AJ (1986) Revegetation of artificial disturbances in the grasslands of the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania: II. Five years of successional change. Journal of Ecology 74, 937–951.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bewley JD , Halmer P , Krochko JE , Winner WE (1978) Metabolism of a drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive moss: respiration, ATP synthesis and carbohydrate status. In ‘Dry biological systems’. (Eds JH Crowe, JS Clegg) pp. 185–203. (Academic Press: New York)

Bianchi G, Murelli C, Bochicchio A, Vazzana C (1991) Changes in low-molecular weight substances in Boea hygroscopica in response to desiccation and rehydration. Phytochemistry 30, 461–466.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Blomstedt CK, Gianello RD, Gaff DF, Hamill JD, Neale AD (1998a) Differential gene expression in desiccation-tolerant and desiccation-sensitive tissue of the resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 25, 937–946.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Blomstedt CK, Gianello RD, Hamill JD, Neale AD, Gaff DF (1998b) Drought stimulated genes correlated with desiccation tolerance of the resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus. Plant Growth Regulation 24, 153–161.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Boubriak I , McCready S , Osborne DJ (2007) DNA structure and seed desiccation tolerance. In ‘Plant desiccation tolerance’. (Eds MA Jenks, AJ Wood) pp. 215–250. (Blackwell: Ames, Iowa, USA)

Burkill H (1994) ‘Useful plants of west tropical Africa. Vol. 2. Families E to I.’ (Royal Botanic Gardens: Kew)

Bussmann R, Gilbreath G, Solio J, Lutura M, Lutuluo R, Kunguru K, Wood N, Mathenge S (2006) Plant use of the Maasai of Sekenani Valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2, 22–29.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | open url image1

Collins J (1989) Salinity studies with desiccation tolerant plants. BSc (Hons) Thesis, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.

Crowe J, Hoekstra F, Crowe L (1992) Anhydrobiosis. Annual Review of Physiology 54, 579–599.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Dalla Vecchia F, El Asmar T, Calamassi R, Rascio N, Vazzana C (1998) Morphological and ultrastructural aspects of dehydration and rehydration in leaves of Sporobolus stapfianus. Plant Growth Regulation 24, 219–228.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Daniel V, Gaff DF (1980) Desiccation-induced changes in the protein complement of soluble extracts from leaves of resurrection plants and related desiccation-sensitive species. Annals of Botany 45, 174–181. open url image1

Di Blasi S, Puligia S, Losi L, Vazzana C (1998) S. stapfianus and E. curvula cv. Consol in vivo photosynthesis, PSII activity and ABA content during dehydration. Plant Growth Regulation 25, 97–104.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Dure L , III (1993 a) Structural motifs in LEA proteins of higher plants. In ‘Responses of plants to cellular dehydration during environmental stress’. (Eds T Close, E Bray) pp. 91–103. (American Society of Plant Physiology: Rockville, MD)

Dure L (1993b) A repeating 11-mer amino acid motif and plant desiccation. The Plant Journal 3, 363–369.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Espartero J, Sanchez-Aguayo I, Pardo JM (1995) Molecular characterisation of glyoxalase 1 from a higher plant; upregulation by stress. Plant Molecular Biology 29, 1223–1233.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Gaff DF (1971) The desiccation tolerant higher plants of Southern Africa. Science 174, 1033–1034.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | open url image1

Gaff DF (1977) Desiccation tolerant vascular plants of Southern Africa. Oecologia 31, 95–109.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Gaff DF (1980) Protoplasmic tolerance of extreme stress. In ‘Adaptation of plants to water and high temperature stress’. (Eds NC Turner, PJ Kramer) pp. 207–230. (John Wiley & Sons: New York)

Gaff DF, Churchill DM (1976) Borya nitida Labill. – an Australian species in the Liliaceae with desiccation-tolerant leaves. Australian Journal of Botany 24, 209–224.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Gaff DF, Ellis RP (1974) Southern African grasses with foliage that revives after dehydration. Bothalia 11, 305–308. open url image1

Gaff DF, Latz PK (1978) The occurrence of resurrection plants in the Australian flora. Australian Journal of Botany 26, 485–492.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Gaff DF, Loveys BR (1984) Abscisic acid content and effects during dehydration of detached leaves of desiccation tolerant plants. Journal of Experimental Botany 35, 1350–1358.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Gaff DF, Loveys BR (1993) Abscisic acid levels in drying plants of a resurrection grass. Transactions of the Malaysian Society of Plant Physiology 3, 286–287. open url image1

Gaff DF , McGregor GR (1979) The effect of dehydration and re-hydration on the nitrogen content of various fractions from resurrection plants. Biologium Plantarum 21, 92–99.

Gaff DF, Ziegler H (1989) ATP and ADP contents in leaves of drying and rehydrating desiccation-tolerant plants. Oecologia 78, 407–410.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Gaff DF, Bartels D, Gaff JL, Schneider K (1993) Gene expression at low RWC in two hardy tropical grasses. Transactions of the Malaysian Society of Plant Physiology 3, 238–240. open url image1

Gaff DF, Bartels D, Gaff JL (1997) Changes in gene expression during drying in a desiccation tolerant grass Sporobolus stapfianus and a desiccation sensitive grass Sporobolus pyramidalis. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 24, 617–622.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Ghasempour HR, Anderson EM, Gianello RD, Gaff DF (1998a) Growth inhibitor effects on the protoplasmic drought tolerance and protein synthesis in the leaf cells of the resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus. Plant Growth Regulation 24, 179–183.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Ghasempour HR, Gaff DF, Williams RP, Gianello RD (1998b) Contents of sugars in leaves of drying desiccation tolerant flowering plants, particularly grasses. Plant Growth Regulation 24, 185–191.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Ghasempour H, Anderson E, Gaff D (2001) Effects of growth substances on the protoplasmic drought tolerance of leaf cells of the resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 28, 1115–1120.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Gianello R , Kuang J , Gaff D , Ghasempour H , Blomstedt C , Hamill J , Neale A (1999) Proteins correlated with desiccation tolerance in a resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus. In ‘Plant responses to environmental stress’. (Eds M Smallwood, C Calvert, D Bowles) pp. 161–166. (Bios Science Publications: Oxford)

Goyal K, Walton LJ, Browne JA, Burnell AM, Tunnacliffe A (2005a) Molecular anhydrobiology: identifying molecules implicated in invertebrate anhydrobiosis. Integrative and Comparative Biology 45, 702–709.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Goyal K, Walton LJ, Tunnacliffe A (2005b) LEA proteins prevent protein aggregation due to water stress. The Biochemical Journal 388, 151–157.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Heber U (1967) Freezing injury and uncoupling of photophosphorylation from electron transport in chloroplasts. Plant Physiology 42, 1343–1350.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Iturriaga G, Gaff D, Zentella R (2000) New desiccation-tolerant plants, including a grass, in the Central Highlands of Mexico, accumulate trehalose. Australian Journal of Botany 48, 153–158.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Kaiser K, Gaff D, Outlaw WH (1985) Sugar contents of leaves of desiccation-sensitive and desiccation-tolerant plants. Naturwissenschaften 72, 608–609.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Kuang J (1995) Induction of desiccation tolerance in resurrection grasses. PhD Thesis, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.

Kuang J, Gaff D, Gianello R, Blomstedt C, Neale A, Hamill J (1995) Changes in in vivo protein complements in drying leaves of the desiccation-tolerant grass Sporobolus stapfianus and the desiccation-sensitive grass Sporobolus pyramidalis. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 22, 1027–1034.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Le T-N, Blomstedt CK, Kuang J, Tenlen J, Gaff DF, Hamill JD, Neale AD (2007) Genes differentially expressed in desiccation tolerant leaf tissue of the resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus. Functional Plant Biology 34, 589–600.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Maurel C (1997) Aquaporins and water permeability of plant membranes. Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology 48, 399–429.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Murelli C, Adamo V, Finzi PV, Albini FM, Bochicchio A, Picco AM (1996) Sugar transformations by fungi on leaves of the resurrection plant Sporobolus stapfianus. Phytochemistry 43, 741–745.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Neale A, Blomstedt C, Bronson P, Le T-N, Guthridge K, Evans J, Gaff D, Hamill J (2000) The isolation of genes from the resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus which are induced during severe stress. Plant, Cell & Environment 23, 265–277.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

O’Mahony PJ, Oliver MJ (1999a) Characterization of a desiccation-responsive small GTP-binding protein (Rab2) from the desiccation-tolerant grass Sporobolus stapfianus. Plant Molecular Biology 39, 809–821.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

O’Mahony PJ, Oliver MJ (1999b) The involvement of ubiquitin in vegetative desiccation tolerance. Plant Molecular Biology 41, 657–667.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Oliver MJ (2007) Lessons on dehydration tolerance from desiccation-tolerant plants. In ‘Plant desiccation tolerance’. (Eds MA Jenks, AJ Wood) pp. 11–50. (Blackwell: Ames, Iowa, USA)

Proctor M , Pence V (2002) Vegetative tissues: bryophytes, vascular resurrection plants and vegetative propagules. In ‘Desiccation and survival in plants: drying without dying’. (Eds M Black, H Pritchard) pp. 207–237 (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)

Puliga S, Vazzana C, Davies WJ (1996) Control of crops leaf growth by chemical and hydraulic influences. Journal of Experimental Botany 47, 529–537.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Schneider K, Wells B, Schmelzer E, Salamini F, Bartels D (1993) Desiccation leads to the rapid accumulation of both cytosolic and chloroplastic proteins in the resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum Hochst. Planta 189, 120–131.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Schwab KB, Gaff DF (1986) Sugar and ion contents in leaf tissues of several drought tolerant plants under water stress. Journal of Plant Physiology 125, 257–265.
|  CAS |
open url image1

Schwab KB, Gaff DF (1990) Influence of compatible solutes on soluble enzymes from desiccation-tolerant Sporobolus stapfianus and desiccation-sensitive Sporobolus pyramidalis. Journal of Plant Physiology 137, 208–215.
|  CAS |
open url image1

Shinozaki K, Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K (1997) Gene expression and signal transduction in water-stress response. Plant Physiology 115, 327–334.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Smirnoff N (1992) The carbohydrates of bryophytes in relation to desiccation-tolerance. Journal of Bryology 17, 185–191. open url image1

Sutaryono YA (1992) Studies on desiccation tolerant grasses. PhD Thesis, Monash University.

Sutaryono YA , Gaff DF (1993 a) The grazing potential of desiccation tolerant tropical and sub-tropical grasses. In ‘ First Asia-Pacific Conference of Plant Physiology, Kuala Lumpur’. p. 58.

Sutaryono YA , Gaff DF (1993 b) Grazing potential of desiccation-tolerant tropical and subtropical grasses. In ‘Proceedings of the XVII International Grasslands Congress, Rockhampton, Australia’. pp. 2029–2031.

Tripatzis C (1997) Isolation and characterisation of a Myb-related transcription factor in the resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus. BSc (Hons) Thesis, Monash University.

Tymms MJ, Gaff DF (1979) Proline accumulation during water stress in resurrection plants. Journal of Experimental Botany 30, 165–168.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Vander Willigen C, Pammenter NW, Mundree SG, Farrant JM (2004) Mechanical stabilization of dehydrated vegetative tissues of the resurrection grass Eragrostis nindensis: does a TIP3;1 and/or compartmentalization of subcellular components and metabolites play a role? Journal of Experimental Botany 55, 651–661.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Whittaker A, Bochicchio A, Vazzana C, Lindsey G, Farrant J (2001) Changes in leaf hexokinase activity and metabolite levels in response to drying in the desiccation-tolerant species Sporobolus stapfianus and Xerophyta viscosa. Journal of Experimental Botany 52, 961–969.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Whittaker A, Martinelli T, Bochicchio A, Vazzana C, Farrant J (2004) Comparison of sucrose metabolism during rehydration of desiccation-tolerant and desiccation-sensitive leaf material of Sporobolus stapfianus. Physiologia Plantarum 122, 11–20.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Wolkers W, Tetteroo F, Alberda M, Hoekstra F (1999) Changed properties of the cytoplasmic matrix associated with desiccation tolerance of dried carrot somatic embryos. An in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic study. Plant Physiology 120, 153–164.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Wolkers WF, McCready S, Brandt WF, Lindsey GG, Hoekstra F (2001) Isolation and characterization of a D-7 LEA protein from pollen that stabilises glasses in vitro. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1544, 196–206.
|  CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Wood JN, Gaff DF (1989) Salinity studies with drought resistant Sporobolus species. Oecologia 78, 559–564.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1