CZECH POLAR REPORTS 5 (1): 99-111, 2015 Features of chlorophyll fluorescence transients can be used to investigate low temperature induced effects on photosystem II of algal lichens from polar regions Short Communication Anamika Mishra1, Josef Hájek2, Tereza Tuháčková2, Miloš Barták2, Kumud Bandhu Mishra1 Laboratory of Ecological Plant Physiology, Global Change Research Centre ASCR vvi, Bělidla 986/4a, 603 00 Brno, Czech Republic 2Department of Experimental Biology, Laboratory of Photosynthetic Processes, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, University Campus - Bohunice, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic Abstract Chlorophyll fluorescence is an effective tool for investigating characteristics of any photosynthesizing organisms and its responses due to different stressors. Here, we have studied a short-term temperature response on three Antarctic green algal lichen species: Umbilicaria antarctica, Xanthoria elegans, and Rhizoplaca melanophtalma. We measured slow chlorophyll fluorescence transients in these Antarctic lichen species during slowely cooling of thallus temperature from 20°C to 5, 0 and -5°C with 20 minute acclimation at each temperature. The measurements were supplemented with saturation pulses for the analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters: maximum yield of PS II photochemistry (FV/FM), effective quantum yield of PS II photochemistry (Opsii) and quenching parameters. In response to decreasing thallus temperature, we observed species-specific changes in chlorophyll fluorescence parameters as well as in the shape of the chlorophyll fluorescence transients. We propose that species-specific changes in the slow phase of chlorophyll fluorescence transients can be potentially used as indicators of freezing stress in photosynthetic apparatus of lichen algal photobionts. Key words: Rhizoplaca melanophtalma, Umbilicaria antarctica, Xanthoria elegans, temperature stress Symbols and abbreviations. ChlF - Chlorophyll a fluorescence DOI: 10.5817/CPR2015-1-10 Received July 15, 2015, accepted September 11, 2015. Corresponding author: Kumud B. Mishra Acknowledgements: The authors are grateful to CzechPolar project for infrastructure. A. Mishra and K. B. Mishra acknowledges NPUI project L01415. 99 A. MISHRA et al. Introduction Among chlorophyll fluorescence emission based techniques used in plant stress physiology, chlorophyll a fluorescence (ChlF) induction, i.e. a curve exhibiting polyphasic changes in chlorophyll fluorescence transients measured for several minutes, when predarkened plant material is exposed to continuous light, is widely used for non-invasive investigation of photosyn-thetic mechanism and responses of biotic/ abiotic stresses. This fluorescence induction is also termed as the Kautsky kinetics, after it is discovered by Kautsky (Kautsky et Hirsch 1931). Depending on time resolution, the easy available methods for monitoring of ChlF induction kinetics can be classified into two groups: (1) Fast chlorophyll fluorescence induction (OJIP curve, where O is minimal fluorescence when reaction centres are fully oxidised after dark adaptation, J and I are inflections, and P is the peak under prevailling light intensity, Strasser et al. 1995) and (2) slow chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics (OPSMT, time resolution -20-40 ms; where S is a semi steady state, M is secondary maxima and T is terminal steady state; Papageorgiou et al. 2007). The fast OJIP curve is typically recorded within the first two seconds of exposition to light, while measurement of slow chlorophyll fluorescence transient requires tens of seconds to several minutes. In OJIP phase, fluorescence rise from minimal value (F0, reaction centers are fully oxidised) to peak FP with gradual reduction of plastoquinones (QA and QB); it is related to the electron transportation representing redox state of the plastoqui-none pool connecting the PS II and PS I, and divided into fast photochemical phase (O-J, in 2 ms) and much slower photo-thermal (temperature sensitive) phase (J-I and I-P, in ~1 s), see Strasser et al. (1995) and Stirbet et Govindjee (2011). It is accepted that O-J is due to reduction of electron QA to QA_1; while J-I and I-P are due to reduction of PQ pool. For thermally - affected samples, another point K was reported by e. g. Xue et al. (2011). The shape of the OJIP phase can be affected by several factors e.g., efficiency of excitation energy transfer among PS II units (connectivity), the state of the oxygen evolving complex, and various processes involved in transformation of absorbed light energy in photosynthetic apparatus (see e.g. Tyyst-jarvi et al. 1999 for review). General pattern of OJIP curve is almost similar in all plant species. Currently, several commercial instruments are available for quick diagnosis of photosynthetic apparatus by measuring OJIP curve and associated derived parameters (Strasser et al. 1995). The OJIP test is highly useful and it is being potentially applied in multidisciplinary fields for detection of various stress effects such as heavy metals, UV-B effects etc. (Sayed 2003, Cuchiara et al. 2013, Wang et al. 2008). ChlF parameters derived from OJIP curve was reported to be useful for measuring freezing tolerance in wheat culti-vars as it senses the early metabolic changes in PS II that are initiated following exposure to low and freezing temperatures (Rapacz 2007, Rapacz et al. 2007). In lichens, OJIP is used to evaluate responses of thalli to rehydration at different temperature (Oukarroum et al. 2012). The scientific community frequently uses physiologically significant parameters such as F0, FM, FV/FM, NPQ etc., derived from slow ChlF transients as indicators of stress effects in photosynthetic apparatus (Brestic et Zifcak 2013). Although the shape of the slow ChlF transient is highly informative and represents regulation of several biophysical processes, it is seldom used in plant stress physiology. The slow decline of ChlF from peak P (FP) to S is more complex to interpret because several processes begin to involve such as non-photochemical quenching, ATP synthesis, Calvin-Benson cycle and state transition among others. The appearance of second- 100 ANTARCTIC LICHENS ary SMT fluorescence phase is very common in cyanobacteria and in green alga (Kaňa et al. 2012, Kodru et al. 2015) but also found in higher plants under specific conditions (Mishra et al. 2011). Indeed the mechanisms of S-M rise and M-T decline is highly complex; it was demonstrated that state transition is the main phenomenon behind the S-M rise in green alga; the S-M rise is due to transition of low fluorescence state 2 to higher fluorescence state 1 since a mutant locked in state change did not show SM rise (Kodru et al. 2015, Kaňa et al. 2012). In lichens, slow ChlF transient was used to characterize sensitivity to photoinhibi-tion (e.g. Conti et al. 2014). In this investigation, we hypothesized that, similar to higher plants (Tyystjárvi et al. 1999), species-specific differences in shape of slow ChlF transients would be large in lichens as well. Further, we expect that exposing lichen species to short term stress may amplify the species-specific differences. Therefore, to evaluate species-specific sensitivity of photosynthetic processes to low temperature in three contrasting lichen species, we selected several ChlF parameters derived from slow ChlF transient. Material and Methods Species characteristics Three of Antarctica based lichen species: Rhizoplaca melanophthalma (Ram.), Umbilicaria antarctica mdXanthoria elegans were used in this investigation. The lichen Rhizoplaca melanophthalma (Ram.) Leuck. and Poelt is a common species particularly found in coastal deglaciated areas of Antarctica (0vstedal et Lewis Smith 2001). It is commonly distributed in non-polar regions and being utilized for biomonitoring (e.g. Dillman 1996). In Antarctica, R melanophtalma is frequently found growing in large populations on rocky substrates close to a seashore or nestling sites of birds, pinguin colonies (e.g. Ol ech 1994, Ol ech et Singh 2010). Some authors reported about R. mela-nopthalma from Schimacher oases as well (Rai et al. 2011, Olech et Singh 2010). Physiological studies on the species are rather rare focusing specific aspects e.g. content of usnic acid (Duman et al. 2008). Umbilicaria antarctica is a foliose macrolichen forming typical umbilicate thallus, generally 6-7 cm, but exceptionally 15 cm in diameter (Barták 2014). This lichen species is attached to rock or stony substrate by a central holdfast (umbilicus). The upper surface of the thallus has pale, gray or brown colour. Inside the thallus, U. antarctica preliminary has an unicellular green alga (Trebouxia sp.) as photosynthesizing photobiont. This lichen species is commonly distributed in maritime Antarctica (see e.g. Ovstedal et Lewis Smith 2001, Lee et al. 2008), and used for both field (responses to hydration -Barták et al. 2005) and laboratory-based (responses to low and freezing temperature -Barták et al. 2007) ecophysiological studies of photosynthesis. Recently, this species has got attention because presence of rich variety of secondary metabolites in its thallus, such as phenolics, usnic acid, atranorin (Quilot 1998 - see Other sources), lecanorin (Luo et al. 2009). Xanthoria elegans is a bipolar lichen species abundantly found in alpine, Arctic and Antarctic habitats. It is a foliose lichen forming a round-shaped foliose yellow to orange thallus with marginal lobes. The species form a large rosettes up to 6 cm in diameter. In Antarctica, the species exhibit low growing rates (Armstrong et Bradwell 2011) and is 101 A. MISHRA et al. used for dating age of lithological items using a lichenometry approach (McCarty 1997). Several studies have been done both in situ (in Antarctica) and under semi-laboratory conditions addressing e.g. decline of photosynthetic processes in response to dehydration (Barták et al. 2005) and low temperature (Barták et al. 2007). Since X. elegans is considered as one of the model lichen species for ecophysiological and extreme environments studies, a great attention has been devoted to investigate its capacity for photoprotective secondary metabolites production {e.g. parietin, Nybakken et al. 2004), resistance of the species to extraterrestrial environments (Brandt et al. 2014). Its population genetics is studied (e.g. Murtagh et al. 2002) as well. Collection and storage of lichens Rhizoplaca melanophtalma was collected in February 2015 from individual stones and small boulders located 500 m W from the Czech Antarctic station (J. G. Mendel, 63° 48' 17" S, 57° 55' 14" E). The site of collection was situated close to a seashore (50 m) at the altitude of 15-20 m. The lichen thalii were collected in semi-dry state and dried out naturally at a laboratory at the station at 20°C. Then they were stored in a refrigerator at 5°C and transported in a portable freezing box to Brno (Czech Republic). Thalii of Umbilicaria antarctica, were collected at Galindez Island (65° 15' 00" S, 64° 15' 00" W), Antarctica, in 2003. The site of collection was a N-facing rock wall of the Woozle Hill. The thalii were dehydrated in natural (outside) conditions. When dried, they were stored at 5°C and transported at such temperature to a laboratory in Brno (Czech Republic). Before experiments, thalii were stored in dry state in dark inside a refrigerator. Xanthoria elegans was collected from several sites located on the foothill of the Berry Hill mesa (63° 48' 18" S, 57° 49' 38" E, James Ross Island). The site of collection was 5-10 degrees inclined, facing N. Individuals and clusters of X. elegans formed irregularly dense and wide margins of temporal freshwater streams fed by a snowfield and/or permafrost. The lichen thalii were collected in semi-dry state and dried out naturally at a laboratory at the station at 20°C. Then they were stored in a refrigerator at 5°C and transported in a portable freezing box to Brno (Czech Republic). Experimental set up Lichen thalii were wetted in Petri dishes by a demineralized water for 48 h before experiments. During rehydration, they were kept under dim light (5 umol m"2 s"1 of photosynthetically active radiation) and at low temperature (5°C). When rehydrated, re-establishment of primary photosynthetic processes of photosynthesis was tested on 10 min. dark-adapted material by images of FV/FM. For experiment, those thalii exhibiting high FV/FM values over large lichen thallus area were selected for investigations. Measurements of ChlF transients was supplemented with quenching analysis by using a pulse-modulated fluorometer (PAM 2000, Heinz Walz, Germany) connected with a probe which was inserted inside a temperature-controlled box (URAS 4 cooling unit, Hartmann and Braun, Germany) through a predarkening clip placed over experimental lichen thallus. Measurements of slow ChlF transients (see Fig. 1) was started at 25°C. After the record of individual curve, temperature in the box was gradually lowered to 5, 0, and -5°C, with an equilibration time of 20 min. at each temperature. ChlF transient 102 ANTARCTIC LICHENS was recorded at each temperature. During the measurements, lichen thalli were exposed to several saturation pulses so that ChlF parameters (see below and Table 1) could be evaluated. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements Individual measurements used kinetic mode of the fluorometer with 0.1 ms time resolution for recording of ChlF emission. The measurements started on pre-darkadapted material with exposition of lichen sample to measuring light (ML=5, damping 4) for 60 s in order to determine F0. Then, a saturation pulse (0.8 s, 5 000 umol m"2 s"1) was given in order to induce and record maximum ChlF (FM). Following 10 s of dark adaptation, the thalli were exposed to actinic light (AL= 4) for 300 s and a polyphasic time course of ChlF emission was recorded. Then, a saturation pulse was given to induce FM' level of ChlF, i.e. maximum value in light-adapted material. After switching of actinic light, background ChlF (F0') was recorded for 20 s. Then, another saturation pulse was given in order to induce FM" value. 1.7 0 "| I_i_i_i_i_i_i_i_ 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Time (s) Fig. 1. Typical slow chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) transients recorded for Rhizoplaca melanopthalma, Umbilicaria antarctica, and Xanthoria elegans at 25°C. ChlF fluorescence levels P, S, M, T are clearly distinguishable in U. antarctica. In X. elegans, P and M is much less apparent. With decrease in temperature, P, M and S could be distinguished with difficulties - see Fig. 2. 103 A. MISHRA et al. Using the below-specified equations, the following ChlF parameters were calculated from the particular ChlF signals depicted form a record. Temperature-induced changes in the shapes of slow ChlF transients as well as ChlF parameters were evaluated. Fv/Fm - (Fm - Fo) / FM ^psii = (Fm'~ Fs) / Fm' Rfd = (FP - Fs) / Fs {Lichtenthaller et al. 2005) qP = (Fm'-Fs)/(Fm'-F0') qN = (FM - F0) - (FM' - F0') / (FM - F0) NPQ = (Fm-Fm')/Fm' QCN = (Fm-Fm')/Fm (Roháček2002), qCN= (FM - FM') / FM (Roháčeket Barták 1999) qFo = (Fo-F0,)/Fo_ Table 1. Overview of chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) parameters used in this study. Results and Discussion At room temperature, all experimental lichen species showed typical slow ChlF transient during the exposition to continuous light (Fig. 1). The shape was species specific, however, typical points (P, M, S, T) were distinguished similarly to other lichen species (see Conti et al. 2014). Poly-phasic time course of variable ChlF from P to T levels is caused by several reasons. Among them, redox state of electron acceptors (QA in particular), changes in proportion between absorbed light energy and e-mission of ChlF should be mentioned. The latter one is associated with the formation of transthylakoidal gradient (delta pH) and consequent involvement of xanthophyll cycle pigments into quenching of absorbed light energy. Changes in structure (antenna size) and function of light-harvesting complexes of PS II, as well as state transition are also involved (for review see e.g. Kalaji et al. 2014). At T point, variable ChlF was constant (steady state ChlF) in all experimental species, indicating that photosynthetic electron transport processes was fully coupled to biochemical reactions in the carbon reduction cycle. With decreasing thallus temperature, shape of the slow ChlF transient is changes in the following aspects: (a) variable ChlF is increased compared to the initial record at 20°C, (b) proportion between P and M ChlF level was changed and, in some cases, P was not recognizable (see Fig. 2), and (c) the time taken to reach from peak P to steady state level T is increased. Decline of thallus temperature to 0 and -5°C, led to an overall decrease in variable ChlF throughout whole slow ChlF transient. At lowest thallus temperature, variable ChlF was not constant after ~5 min. exposition (during the Kautsky effect) to actinic light, it means that the ratio between ATP, NADPH synthesis and C02 fixation is not in equilibrium. At such situation, proton concentration in the thylakoid lumen is increased and consequently this may increase the non-photochemical quenching (Krause et Weiss 1991, Dewez et al. 2007) - see below. Time courses of ChlF parametres were species-specific; however, followed a general trends in Antarctic lichens. Decline of FV/FM with lowering thallus temperatures is most apparent in R. melanopthalma (see Fig. 3). Such behavious is well comparable to experimental evidence (Barták et al. 2007). Similarly, 0PSII decreased with low- 104 ANTARCTIC LICHENS ering temperature until 0°C, but slight increase in its value was observed at -5°C. Values of photochemical quenching (qP) showed somewhat different trends in particular for species R. melanopthalma: qP was more or less constant until 0°C followed by a dramatic increase at freezing temperature (-5°C). For other species qP declined with lowering thallus temperature followed by either no change (U. antarctica), or a slight increase (X. elegans) at -5°C. Lowering of thallus temperature to close-to- and below-zero temperature led to a decrease followed by an increase in non-photochemical quenching in R. mela-nophalma (see NPQ in Fig. 3 and non-photochemical quenching parameters in Table 1). For other two species NPQ decreased with temperature decline. The courses differed among species reflecting mainly species-specific differences in optimum thallus temperature for primary photo-synthetic processes. However, QCN, as well as qN showed different trends when compared to NPQ. QCN and qN were high at room (25°C) temperature and during initial phases of thallus temperature decrease. At close-to-zero and freezing temperature, QCN and qN showed low and more or less constant values and lacking rise in its value at freezing temperature (-5°C). A reason for such response is unknown. Further investigation of different ChlF parameters related to non-photochemical quenching is required in lichens to find a parameter reflecting involvement of protective mechanisms in li- chen photosynthetic apparatus during low and freezing temperature treatments. Fluorescence decline ratio (Rfd) decreases with lowering temperature in all three species; however, some values fluctuating from a general trend were apparent as well. For U. antarctica, an increase in Rfd was apparent at physiological temperature during initial cooling (25 to 5°C). In all three experimental species, Rfd values were found comparable to earlier investigations on Cladonia sp. (Tuba et al. 2008) measured at physiological temperature. The authors reported range of Rfd values between 0.5-1.5 which correspond to data recorded at 25 and 5°C (see Table 2). Freezing temperature (-5°C) caused decrease in Rfd value to 62, 64 and 50% as compared to its value measured at 25°C for R. mela-nophalma, U. antarctica and X. elegans, respectively. Quenching of background chlorophyll fluorescence (qF0) did not show any clear trend with decline of thallus temperature indicating that there is no direct effect of low temperature per se on functioning of light harvesting complexes of PS II in lichen algal photobionts. In lichens, qF0 has not been investigated in much detail. Studies form higher plants, however, indicated that qF0 is sensitive to day-night cycles (Picea abies - Roháček et al. 2008), and a variety of stress factors. Therefore, we propose future studies in lichens to be focused on detailed analysis of qF0 photosynthetic responses to e.g. high light, thallus dehydration to reveal if it dependents on particular stress factors. 105 A. MISHRA et al. o i—■ ■ Rhizoplaca melanopthalma i25°C „ 2 > e " 2 00 I !> 0.6 02 150 200 250 Time (s) ——r i- 350 400 Umbilicaria antarctica 200 250 Time (s) Xanthoria elegans Time