Plant hormones (Literature sources on phytohormones and plant signalling)

Science Advances (2023)

Abstract: "Whether the plant vasculature has the capacity to sense touch is unknown. We developed a quantitative assay to investigate touch-response electrical signals in the leaves and veins of Arabidopsis thaliana. Mechanostimulated electrical signaling in leaves displayed strong diel regulation. Signals of full amplitude could be generated by repeated stimulation at the same site after approximately 90 minutes. However, the signals showed intermediate amplitudes when repeatedly stimulated in shorter timeframes. Using intracellular electrodes, we detected touch-response membrane depolarizations in the phloem. On the basis of this, we mutated multiple Arabidopsis H+-ATPase (AHA) genes expressed in companion cells. We found that aha1 aha3 double mutants attenuated touch-responses, and this was coupled to growth rate reduction. Moreover, propagating membrane depolarizations could be triggered by mechanostimulating the exposed primary vasculature of wild-type plants but not of aha1 aha3 mutants. Primary veins have autonomous mechanosensory properties which depend on P-type proton pumps."

Science Advances (2022)

Abstract: "Plants respond to mechanical stimuli to direct their growth and counteract environmental threats. Mechanical stimulation triggers rapid gene expression changes and affects plant appearance (thigmomorphogenesis) and flowering. Previous studies reported the importance of jasmonic acid (JA) in touch signaling. Here, we used reverse genetics to further characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying touch signaling. We show that Piezo mechanosensitive ion channels have no major role in touch-induced gene expression and thigmomorphogenesis. In contrast, the receptor-like kinase Feronia acts as a strong negative regulator of the JA-dependent branch of touch signaling. Last, we show that calmodulin-binding transcriptional activators CAMTA1/2/3 are key regulators of JA-independent touch signaling. CAMTA1/2/3 cooperate to directly bind the promoters and activate gene expression of JA-independent touch marker genes like TCH2 and TCH4. In agreement, camta3 mutants show a near complete loss of thigmomorphogenesis and touch-induced delay of flowering. In conclusion, we have now identified key regulators of two independent touch-signaling pathways."

Current Biology (2023)

Editor's view: DYSCALCULIA is a Venus flytrap mutant that is still able to fire touch-induced action potentials but does not snap close its traps and fails to enter the hunting cycle. Iosip et al. demonstrate that this mutant cannot properly read, count, and decode touch-induced calcium signals that are key in prey capture and processing.

Highlights: • The Dionaea mutant DYSC fires action potentials but does not snap close its traps • DYSC exhibits defects in trap-restricted calcium- and JA-associated processes • Touch-activation of calcium signaling is largely suppressed in DYSC traps • DYSC is impaired in decoding touch-/action potential-induced calcium signals 

Abstract: "The Venus flytrap Dionaea muscipula estimates prey nutrient content by counting trigger hair contacts initiating action potentials (APs) and calcium waves traveling all over the trap.1,2,3 A first AP is associated with a subcritical rise in cytosolic calcium concentration, but when the second AP arrives in time, calcium levels pass the threshold required for fast trap closure. Consequently, memory function and decision-making are timed via a calcium clock.3,4 For higher numbers of APs elicited by the struggling prey, the Ca2+ clock connects to the networks governed by the touch hormone jasmonic acid (JA), which initiates slow, hermetic trap sealing and mining of the animal food stock.5 Two distinct phases of trap closure can be distinguished within Dionaea’s hunting cycle: (1) very fast trap snapping requiring two APs and crossing of a critical cytosolic Ca2+ level and (2) JA-dependent slow trap sealing and prey processing induced by more than five APs. The Dionaea mutant DYSC is still able to fire touch-induced APs but does not snap close its traps and fails to enter the hunting cycle after prolonged mechanostimulation. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that upon trigger hair touch/AP stimulation, activation of calcium signaling is largely suppressed in DYSC traps. The observation that external JA application restored hunting cycle progression together with the DYSC phenotype and its transcriptional landscape indicates that DYSC cannot properly read, count, and decode touch/AP-induced calcium signals that are key in prey capture and processing."