The Absence of the AtSYT1 Function Elevates the Adverse Effect of Salt Stress on Photosynthesis in Arabidopsis

Abstract

Arabidopsis thaliana SYNAPTOTAGMIN 1 (AtSYT1) was shown to be involved in responses to different environmental and biotic stresses. We investigated gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence in Arabidopsis wild-type (WT, ecotype Col-0) and atsyt1 mutant plants irrigated for 48 h with 150 mM NaCl. We found that salt stress significantly decreases net photosynthetic assimilation, effective photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II (ФPSII), stomatal conductance and transpiration rate in both genotypes. Salt stress has a more severe impact on atsyt1 plants with increasing effect at higher illumination. Dark respiration, photochemical quenching (qP), non-pho-tochemical quenching and ФPSII measured at 750 µmol m−2 s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density were significantly affected by salt in both genotypes. However, differences between mutant and WT plants were recorded only for qP and ФPSII. Decreased photosynthetic efficiency in atsyt1 under salt stress was accompanied by reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid and increased flavonol content in atsyt1 leaves. No differences in the abundance of key proteins participating in photosynthesis (ex-cept PsaC and PsbQ) and chlorophyll biosynthesis were found regardless of genotype or salt treat-ment. Microscopic analysis showed that irrigating plants with salt caused a partial closure of the stomata, and this effect was more pronounced in the mutant than in WT plants. The localization pattern of AtSYT1 was also altered by salt stress.