Springing the trap

Morphing structures of the Dionaea muscipula Ellis during the trap opening and closing

The Venus flytrap is a marvelous plant that has intrigued scientists since the times of Charles Darwin. This carnivorous plant is capable of very fast movements to catch a prey. We found that the maximal speed of the trap closing in the Dionaea muscipula Ellis is about 130,000 times faster than the maximal speed of the trap opening. The mechanism and kinetics of this movement was debated for a long time. Here, the most recent Hydroelastic Curvature Model is applied to the analysis of this movement during closing and opening of the trap with or without a prey. Equations describing the trap movement were derived and verified with experimental data. Chloroform and ether, both anesthetic agents, induce action potentials and close the trap without the mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs. We tested this by dropping 10 μL of ether on the midrib inside the trap without touching any of the mechanosensitive trigger hairs. The trap closed slowly in 10 s. This is at least 20 times slower than the closing of the trap mechanically or electrically. The similar effect can be induced by placing 10 μL of chloroform on the midrib inside the trap, however, the lobes closing time in this case is as fast as closing after mechanical stimulation of the trigger hairs.

Nonlinear dynamics of the movement of the venus flytrap

The Venus flytrap has long been regarded as one of the most amazing examples of movement in the plant kingdom. The trapping ability of the flytrap consists of three unique features. First, trap closure represents one of the fastest movements in the plant kingdom. Second, a decision-making stage allows the plant to "decide" whether to completely close or open the trap, based on stimuli provided from the trapped object. Finally, the Venus flytrap contains a "memory function" that requires two mechanical stimuli within about 30 seconds to initiate trap closure. The movement involved in trap closure consists of nonlinear dynamics that have not been well understood. By understanding the movement, through nonlinear dynamics analysis, it will be possible to better understand this biological process. A mathematical model describing the movement of the Venus flytrap was first proposed by the authors in Yang et al., Plant Signal. Behav. 5(8), 968-978 (2010). In the current work, the earlier research has been advanced and an in-depth nonlinear and control analysis of the dynamic process has been provided.

A mathematical model on the closing and opening mechanism for venus flytrap

This paper investigates the opening and closing mechanism for the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). A mathematical model has been proposed to explain how the flytrap transitions between open, semi-closed, and closed states. The model accounts for the charge accumulation of action potentials, which generated by mechanical stimulation of the sensitive trigger hairs on the lobes of the flytrap. Though many studies have been reported for the Venus flytrap opening and closing mechanism, this paper attempts to explain the mechanism from nonlinear dynamics and control perspective.

Active movements in plants: Mechanism of trap closure by Dionaea muscipula Ellis

The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula Ellis) captures insects with one of the most rapid movements in the plant kingdom. We investigated trap closure by mechanical and electrical stimuli using the novel charge-injection method and high-speed recording. We proposed a new hydroelastic curvature mechanism, which is based on the assumption that the lobes possess curvature elasticity and are composed of outer and inner hydraulic layers with different hydrostatic pressure. The open state of the trap contains high elastic energy accumulated due to the hydrostatic pressure difference between the hydraulic layers of the lobe. Stimuli open pores connecting the two layers, water rushes from one hydraulic layer to another, and the trap relaxes to the equilibrium configuration corresponding to the closed state. In this paper we derived equations describing this system based on elasticity Hamiltonian and found closing kinetics. The novel charge-injection stimulation method gives insight into mechanisms of the different steps of signal transduction and response in the plant kingdom.

Kinetics and mechanism of Dionaea muscipula trap closing

The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) possesses an active trapping mechanism to capture insects with one of the most rapid movements in the plant kingdom, as described by Darwin. This article presents a detailed experimental investigation of trap closure by mechanical and electrical stimuli and the mechanism of this process. Trap closure consists of three distinctive phases: a silent phase with no observable movement; an accelerated movement of the lobes; and the relaxation of the lobes in their closed state, resulting in a new equilibrium. Uncouplers and blockers of membrane channels were used to investigate the mechanisms of different phases of closing. Uncouplers increased trap closure delay and significantly decreased the speed of trap closure. Ion channel blockers and aquaporin inhibitors increased time of closing. Transmission of a single electrical charge between a lobe and the midrib causes closure of the trap and induces an electrical signal propagating between both lobes and midrib. The Venus flytrap can accumulate small subthreshold charges, and when the threshold value is reached, the trap closes. Repeated application of smaller charges demonstrates the summation of stimuli. The cumulative character of electrical stimuli points to the existence of electrical memory in the Venus flytrap. The observed fast movement can be explained by the hydroelastic curvature model without invoking buckling instability. The new hydroelastic curvature mechanism provides an accurate description of the authors' experimental data.