滞绿突变体的研究现状及应用前景

Research and Application Perspective of Stay-green Mutants

许多物种的滞绿突变体具有相似的表型特征,即衰老被延缓,叶绿素不降解或降解缓慢。但由于遗传背景不同,它们滞绿的分子机理相差很大。文中综述了滞绿突变体在生理生化(叶绿素的酶代谢途径)、遗传特征及分子生物学上的研究进展,介绍了滞绿突变体在植物叶绿素代谢、叶片衰老机制以及光合作用等生理过程基础研究中的重要性,并全面介绍了在农业生产的各个方面的应用前景及潜力,其中以能显著提高农作物抗逆性及产量的类型A和B的功能型滞绿突变最为重要,同时对滞绿的分子机理的研究使从根本上解决农作物早衰的问题成为可能。

Stay-green mutants of all botanical species have similar phenotypic features. The senescence is delayed, and chlorophyll degradation is blocked or slowed. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism of stay-green in these mutants is quite different owing to different genetic basis. The authors summarize the progresses in research on the physiological and biochemical behaviors （mostly concentrated on the enzyme-catalyzed metabolic pathway of chlorophyll）, hereditary features and molecular biological aspects in various stay - green mutants. They also describe the importance of stay - green mutation to the research of chlorophyll metabolism, leaf senescence, photosynthesis and other physiological processes in plants, as well as the perspective of exploiting the advantages of these mutants in many aspects of agriculture. Among the many types of stay-green mutants, the most promising and significant can be the functional Type A and Type B which are distinguished for their increased yields and improved resistance against stresses. Furthermore, thorough understanding of changes in the molecular mechanism of stay-green is a potential access to consummately solving the presenility problem of crops.