Dissertation Research: Multiple Carbon Sources for Isoprene Pproduction

Suny At Stony Brook, Stony Brook NY

Investigators

Abstract

Title: Multiple Carbon Sources for Isoprene Production Investigators: Manuel T. Lerdau and Jennifer L. Funk Isoprene (2-methyl 1,3-butadiene) is the most abundant volatile organic compound emitted from many temperate and tropical forests. The production of isoprene in plants has important implications for both plant metabolism and the chemistry of the lower atmosphere. Predicting patterns of isoprene emission from individual plants, forest canopies and larger regions involves the integration of regulatory factors operating on both short- and long-time scales. While the regulation of isoprene production on very short-time scales is dominated by changes in light and temperature, our knowledge of the mechanisms by which physiological and environmental factors regulate isoprene emission over larger temporal and spatial scales is limited. It is believed that the carbon used in isoprene production is derived primarily from recently assimilated precursors via photosynthesis. However, it has been proposed that stored carbon (carbohydrate) can contribute to isoprene production when low photosynthetic rates limit the supply of recently assimilated precursors. This research will examine the importance of stored carbon in isoprene production. This will be accomplished by (1) exploring the role of stored carbon in isoprene production and its importance under specific environmental conditions and (2) evaluating existing leaf-level models based on these findings. Understanding the role of stored carbon in isoprene production will help to elucidate the fundamental environmental physiology of isoprene production and improve efforts to model emission to the atmosphere.