Antisense inhibition of sorbitol synthesis leads to up-regulation of starch synthesis without altering CO2 assimilation in apple leaves

Sorbitol is a primary end-product of photosynthesis in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) and many other tree fruit species of the Rosaceae family. Sorbitol synthesis shares a common hexose phosphate pool with sucrose synthesis in the cytosol. In this study, ‘Greensleeves’ apple was transformed with a cDNA encoding aldose 6-phosphate reductase (A6PR, EC 1.1.1.200) in the antisense orientation. Antisense expression of A6PR decreased A6PR activity in mature leaves to approximately 15–30% of the untransformed control. The antisense plants had lower concentrations of sorbitol but higher concentrations of sucrose and starch in mature leaves at both dusk and predawn. 14CO2 pulse-chase labeling at ambient CO2 demonstrated that partitioning of the newly fixed carbon to starch was significantly increased, whereas that to sucrose remained unchanged in the antisense lines with decreased sorbitol synthesis. Total activities of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39), sucrose-phosphate synthase (EC 2.4.1.14), and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.27) were not significantly altered in the antisense lines, whereas both stromal and cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) activities were higher in the antisense lines with 15% of the control A6PR activity. Concentrations of glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) were higher in the antisense plants than in the control, but the 3-phosphoglycerate concentration was lower in the antisense plants with 15% of the control A6PR activity. Fructose 2, 6-bisphosphate concentration increased in the antisense plants, but not to the extent expected from the increase in F6P, comparing sucrose-synthesizing species. There was no significant difference in CO2 assimilation in response to photon flux density or intercellular CO2 concentration. We concluded that cytosolic FBPase activity in vivo was down-regulated and starch synthesis was up-regulated in response to decreased sorbitol synthesis. As a result, CO2 assimilation in source leaves was sustained at both ambient CO2 and saturating CO2.