Blue Light Induces a Distinct Starch Degradation Pathway in Guard Cells for Stomatal Opening

Plant Physiology: Redefining the Enigma of Metabolism in Stomatal Movement

Stomata open at the leaf epidermis, driven by solute accumulation in the surrounding guard cells. Transmembrane ion transport has long been recognised to contribute to this process. A new study makes it clear that guard cells also metabolise starch to accelerate opening.

Roles of sucrose in guard cell regulation

The control of stomatal aperture involves reversible changes in the concentration of osmolytes in guard cells. Sucrose has long been proposed to have an osmolytic role in guard cells. However, direct evidence for such a role is lacking. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that sucrose may perform additional roles in guard cells. Here, we provide an update covering the multiple roles of sucrose in guard cell regulation, highlighting the knowledge accumulated regarding spatiotemporal differences in the synthesis, accumulation, and degradation of sucrose as well as reviewing the role of sucrose as a metabolic connector between mesophyll and guard cells. Analysis of transcriptomic data from previous studies reveals that several genes encoding sucrose and hexose transporters and genes involved in gluconeogenesis, sucrose and trehalose metabolism are highly expressed in guard cells compared with mesophyll cells. Interestingly, this analysis also showed that guard cells have considerably higher expression of C4 -marker genes than mesophyll cells. We discuss the possible roles of these genes in guard cell function and the role of sucrose in stomatal opening and closure. Finally, we provide a perspective for future experiments which are required to fill gaps in our understanding of both guard cell metabolism and stomatal regulation.