A retrotransposon-like sequence linked to the S-locus of Nicotiana alata is expressed in styles in response to touch

Genome-wide identification of touch- and darkness-regulated Arabidopsis genes: a focus on calmodulin-like and XTH genes

We sought to gain insight into functions potentially altered by mechanostimulation and investigate the relationship between touch and darkness responses. Microarrays and quantitative RT-PCR were conducted to identify genes and analyze behaviors of calmodulin-like (CML) and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) genes. Strikingly, 589 genes had touch-inducible expression; 171 had reduced expression. Darkness increased expression of 461 genes and decreased expression of 72 genes. Over half of the touch-inducible genes resembled the TCH genes in that they were also up-regulated by darkness; 67% of those darkness-inducible were also touch inducible. Expression of 12 CMLs and four XTHs was elevated by touch; three XTHs had reduced expression. In darkness-treated plants, 10 CMLs and nine XTHs had increased expression and one XTH was repressed. Over 2.5% of total genes were touch-inducible. Many were also darkness up-regulated, consistent with the hypothesis that these stimuli have partially overlapping signal transduction pathways. Regulated gene identities suggest that calcium and kinase signaling, wall modification, disease resistance and downstream transcriptional responses may be altered in response to mechanostimulation or darkness.

In touch: plant responses to mechanical stimuli

Perception and response to mechanical stimuli are likely essential at the cellular and organismal levels. Elaborate and impressive touch responses of plants capture the imagination as such behaviors are unexpected in otherwise often quiescent creatures. Touch responses can turn plants into aggressors against animals, trapping and devouring them, and enable flowers to be active in ensuring crosspollination and shoots to climb to sunlit heights. Morphogenesis is also influenced by mechanical perturbations, including both dynamic environmental stimuli, such as wind, and constant forces, such as gravity. Even individual cells must sense turgor and wall integrity, and subcellular organelles can translocate in response to mechanical perturbations. Signaling molecules and hormones, including intracellular calcium, reactive oxygen species, octadecanoids and ethylene, have been implicated in touch responses. Remarkably, touch-induced gene expression is widespread; more than 2.5% of Arabidopsis genes are rapidly up-regulated in touch-stimulated plants. Many of these genes encode calcium-binding, cell wall modifying, defense, transcription factor and kinase proteins. With these genes as tools, molecular genetic methods may enable elucidation of mechanisms of touch perception, signal transduction and response regulation.