Plants coordinate the expression of photosynthesis-related genes in response to growth and environmental changes. In species that conduct two-cell C4 photosynthesis, expression of photosynthesis genes is partitioned such that leaf mesophyll and bundle sheath cells accumulate different components of the photosynthetic pathway. The identities of the regulatory networks that facilitate this partitioning are unknown. Here, we show that differences in light perception between mesophyll and bundle sheath cells facilitate differential regulation and accumulation of photosynthesis gene transcripts in the C4 crop maize (Zea mays). Key components of the photosynthesis gene regulatory network differentially accumulated between mesophyll and bundle sheath cells, indicative of differential network activity across cell types. We further show that blue (but not red) light is necessary and sufficient to activate photosystem II assembly in mesophyll cells in etiolated maize. Finally, we demonstrate that 61% of all light-induced mesophyll and bundle sheath genes were induced only by blue light or only by red light, but not both. These findings provide evidence that subdivision of light signaling networks is a component of cellular partitioning of C4 photosynthesis in maize.

中文翻译：

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光信号网络的细分有助于C4光合作用的分区。

植物响应生长和环境变化来协调光合作用相关基因的表达。在进行两细胞C4光合作用的物种中，光合作用基因的表达被分区，使得叶肉细胞和束鞘细胞积累光合作用途径的不同成分。促进这种划分的监管网络的身份是未知的。在这里，我们表明，叶肉和束鞘细胞之间的光感知差异促进了C4玉米（Zea mays）中光合作用基因转录物的差异调节和积累。光合作用基因调节网络的关键组件在叶肉和束鞘细胞之间差异积累，表明跨细胞类型的差异网络活性。我们进一步表明，蓝（而不是红）光是必需的，并且足以激活黄化玉米中叶肉细胞中的光系统II组件。最后，我们证明所有光诱导的叶肉和束鞘基因中有61％仅由蓝光或仅由红光诱导，但不是两者都诱导。这些发现提供了证据，即光信号网络的细分是玉米中C4光合作用的细胞分区的组成部分。