Carbon metabolism and gas exchange in leaves of Zea mays L. : Interaction between the C3 and C 4 pathways during photosynthetic induction.

The aim of this work was to investigate the mechanism of formation of triose phosphates and 3-phosphoglycerate during photosynthetic induction in leaves of Zea mays. Simultaneous measurements of gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence and metabolite contents of maize leaves were made. Leaves illuminated in the absence of CO2 showed a build-up of triose phosphates during the first 2 min of illumination which was comparable to the build-up observed in the presence of CO2. Isolated mesophyll protoplasts, which lack the Calvin cycle, also showed a build-up of triose phosphates upon illumination. Leaves contained amounts of phosphoglycerate mutase and enolase adequate to account for the formation of triose phosphates and 3-phosphoglycerate from intermediates of the C4 cycle and their precursors.