Root and shoot performance of Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to elevated CO2: a physiologic, metabolic and transcriptomic response.

In this study we explain the physiological, biochemical and gene expression mechanisms adopted by ammonium nitrate-fed Arabidopsis thaliana plants growing under elevated [CO2], highlighting the importance of root-to-shoot interactions in these responses A transcriptomic analysis enabled the identification of photoassimilate allocation and remobilization as fundamental process used by the plants to maintain the outstanding photosynthetic performance. Moreover, based on the relationship between plant carbon status and hormone functioning, the transcriptomic analyses provided an explanation of why phenology accelerates in elevated [CO2] conditions. Arabidopsis thaliana, Columbia 0 ecotype (col 0) plants grown under hydroponic conditions. The nitrogen (N) source was NH4NO3 at 0.75 mM concentration. 5 weeks exposure to CO2 treatments, previous to first flower were buds visible (see Supplemental Figure 1 for the image of the plants), in 3.9 growth stage ontology from the scale described by Boyes (2001).