Re-modeling of foliar membrane lipids in a seagrass allows for growth in phosphorus-deplete conditions

PLoS One. 2019 Nov 27;14(11):e0218690. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218690. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

In this study, we used liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry to analyze the lipidome of turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) leaves with either extremely high phosphorus content or extremely low phosphorus content. Most species of phospholipids were significantly down-regulated in phosphorus-deplete leaves, whereas diacylglyceryltrimethylhomoserine (DGTS), triglycerides (TG), galactolipid digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), certain species of glucuronosyldiacylglycerols (GlcADG), and certain species of sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (SQDG) were significantly upregulated, accounting for the change in phosphorus content, as well as structural differences in the leaves of plants growing across regions of varying elemental availability. These data suggest that seagrasses are able to modify the phosphorus content in leaf membranes dependent upon environmental availability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aquatic Organisms / growth & development
  • Aquatic Organisms / metabolism
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Hydrocharitaceae / growth & development*
  • Hydrocharitaceae / metabolism*
  • Lipidomics / methods
  • Membrane Lipids / metabolism*
  • Phosphorus / metabolism*
  • Plant Leaves / growth & development
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Membrane Lipids
  • Phosphorus

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.