RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Mechanodetection of neighbor plants elicits adaptive leaf movements through calcium dynamics
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.01.28.478192
DO 10.1101/2022.01.28.478192
A1 Pantazopoulou, Chrysoula K.
A1 Buti, Sara
A1 Nguyen, Chi Tam
A1 Oskam, Lisa
A1 Farmer, Edward E.
A1 Kajala, Kaisa
A1 Pierik, Ronald
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/01/28/2022.01.28.478192.abstract
AB Plants detect their neighbors via various cues, including reflected light and touching of leaf tips, which elicit in upward leaf movement (hyponasty). It is currently unknown how touch is sensed and how the signal is transferred from the leaf tip to the petiole base that drives hyponasty. Here, we show that touch-induced hyponasty involves a signal transduction pathway that is distinct from light-mediated hyponasty. We found that mechanostimulation of the leaf tip upon touching causes cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]cyt induction in leaf tip trichomes that spreads towards the petiole. Both perturbation of the calcium response and the absence of trichomes inhibit touch-induced hyponasty. Finally, using plant competition assays, we show that touch-induced hyponasty is adaptive in dense stands of Arabidopsis. We thus establish a novel, adaptive mechanism regulating hyponastic leaf movement in response to mechanostimulation by neighbors in dense vegetation.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.