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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.


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