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Madani Z, Silva PES, Baniasadi H, Vaara M, Das S, Arias JC, Seppälä J, Sun Z, Vapaavuori J. Light-Driven Multidirectional Bending in Artificial Muscles. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2405917. [PMID: 39044611 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202405917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Using light to drive polymer actuators can enable spatially selective complex motions, offering a wealth of opportunities for wireless control of soft robotics and active textiles. Here, the integration of photothermal components is reported into shape memory polymer actuators. The fabricated twist-coiled artificial muscles show on-command multidirectional bending, which can be controlled by both the illumination intensity, as well as the chirality, of the prepared artificial muscles. Importantly, the direction in which these artificial muscles bend does not depend on intrinsic material characteristics. Instead, this directionality is achieved by localized untwisting of the actuator, driven by selective irradiation. The reaction times of this bending system are significantly - at least two orders of magnitude - faster than heliotropic biological systems, with a response time up to one second. The programmability of the artificial muscles is further demonstrated for selective, reversible, and sustained actuation when integrated in butterfly-shaped textiles, along with the capacity to autonomously orient toward a light source. This functionality is maintained even on a rotating platform, with angular velocities of 6°/s, independent of the rotation direction. These attributes collectively represent a breakthrough in the field of artificial muscles, intended to adaptive shape-changing soft systems and biomimetic technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Madani
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, Espoo, 02150, Finland
| | - Pedro E S Silva
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, Espoo, 02150, Finland
| | - Hossein Baniasadi
- Polymer Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, Espoo, 02150, Finland
| | - Maija Vaara
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, Espoo, 02150, Finland
| | - Susobhan Das
- QTF Centre of Excellence, Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering, School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, 02150, Finland
| | - Juan Camilo Arias
- QTF Centre of Excellence, Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering, School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, 02150, Finland
| | - Jukka Seppälä
- Polymer Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, Espoo, 02150, Finland
| | - Zhipei Sun
- QTF Centre of Excellence, Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering, School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, 02150, Finland
| | - Jaana Vapaavuori
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, Espoo, 02150, Finland
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2
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Scharf I, Hanna K, Gottlieb D. Experimental arena settings might lead to misinterpretation of movement properties. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:271-284. [PMID: 37231528 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Movement is an important animal behavior contributing to reproduction and survival. Animal movement is often examined in arenas or enclosures under laboratory conditions. We used the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) to examine here the effect of the arena size, shape, number of barriers, access to the arena's center, and illumination on six movement properties. We demonstrate great differences among arenas. For example, the beetles moved over longer distances in clear arenas than in obstructed ones. Movement along the arena's perimeter was greater in smaller arenas than in larger ones. Movement was more directional in round arenas than in rectangular ones. In general, the beetles stopped moving closer to the perimeter and closer to corners (in the square and rectangular arenas) than expected by chance. In some cases, the arena properties interacted with the beetle sex to affect several movement properties. All these suggest that arena properties might also interact with experimental manipulations to affect the outcome of studies and lead to results specific to the arena used. In other words, instead of examining animal movement, we in fact examine the animal interaction with the arena structure. Caution is therefore advised in interpreting the results of studies on movement in arenas under laboratory conditions and we recommend paying attention also to barriers or obstacles in field experiments. For instance, movement along the arena's perimeter is often interpreted as centrophobism or thigmotaxis but the results here show that such movement is arena dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inon Scharf
- The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Kimberley Hanna
- The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daphna Gottlieb
- Department of Food Science, Institute of Post-Harvest and Food Science, Volcani Center, ARO, Rishon LeZion, Israel
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Takács P, Kovács Z, Száz D, Egri Á, Bernáth B, Slíz-Balogh J, Nagy-Czirok M, Lengyel Z, Horváth G. Mature Sunflower Inflorescences Face Geographical East to Maximize Absorbed Light Energy: Orientation of Helianthus annuus Heads Studied by Drone Photography. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:842560. [PMID: 35371122 PMCID: PMC8969559 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.842560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mature sunflower (Helianthus annuus) inflorescences, which no longer follow the Sun, face the eastern celestial hemisphere. Whether they orient toward the azimuth of local sunrise or the geographical east? It was recently shown that they absorb maximum light energy if they face almost exactly the geographical east, and afternoons are usually cloudier than mornings. However, the exact average and standard deviation (SD) of the azimuth angle of the normal vector of mature sunflower inflorescences have never been measured on numerous individuals. It is imaginable that they prefer the direction of sunrise rather than that of the geographical east. To decide between these two photobiological possibilities, we photographed mature inflorescences of 14 sunflower plantations using a drone and determined the average and SD of the azimuth angle of the normal vector of 2,800 sunflower heads. We found that the average azimuth αinflorescence = 89.5° ± 42.8° (measured clockwise from the geographical north) of inflorescences practically coincided with the geographical eastern direction (αeast = 90°) instead of the azimuth of local sunrise αsunrise = 56.14° - 57.55°. Although the SD of the orientation of individual inflorescences was large (± 42.8°), our finding experimentally corroborated the earlier theoretical prediction that the energetically ideal azimuth of sunflower inflorescences is east, if mornings are usually less cloudy than afternoons, which is typical for the domestication region of H. annuus. However, the average orientation of inflorescences of two plantations in hilly landscapes more or less differed from that of the majority of plantations in plane landscapes. The reason for this deviation may be that the illumination conditions in hilly sites more or less differed from those in plane landscapes. Furthermore, in a plantation, we observed a group of south-facing inflorescences that were in shadow for about 5 h both after sunrise and before sunset. This southern orientation can be explained by the southern maximum of total light energy absorbed by the partly shadowed inflorescences during the day, as computed by our software integrating both the diffuse skylight and the direct sunlight received by sunflower inflorescences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Takács
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Kovács
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dénes Száz
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ádám Egri
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Bernáth
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Estrato Research and Development Ltd., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Slíz-Balogh
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Astronomy, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | | | - Gábor Horváth
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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4
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Kutschera U, Ray PM. Forever young: stem cell and plant regeneration one century after Haberlandt 1921. PROTOPLASMA 2022; 259:3-18. [PMID: 34292403 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-021-01683-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plants are characterized by a post-embryonic mode of organ development, which results in a need for these photoautotrophic organisms to regenerate lost parts in the course of their life cycle. This capacity depends on the presence of "pluripotent stem cells," which are part of the meristems within the plant body. One hundred years ago, the botanist Gottlieb Haberlandt (1854-1945) published experiments showing wounding-induced callus formation, which led ultimately to plant regeneration in tissue culture and thence to the techniques of "plant biotechnology," with practical applications for mankind. Here, we recount Haberlandt's discovery within the context of his long research life and his most influential book Physiologische Pflanzenanatomie. In the second part, we describe and analyze a plant tissue-culture regeneration system using sterile, dark-grown sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seedlings as experimental material. We document that excised hook segments, which contain a "stem cell niche," can regenerate entire miniature H. annuus-plantlets that, raised in a light/dark regime, develop flowers. Finally, we discuss molecular data relevant to plant regeneration with reference to phytohormones and conclude that, one century after Haberlandt, 1921, the exact biochemical/genetic mechanisms responsible for the capability of stem cells to remain "forever young" are, although already complex, really just beginning to become known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Kutschera
- I-Cultiver, Inc., Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA, 94130, USA.
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Peter M Ray
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Anchorage, AL, 99775, USA.
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5
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Horváth G, Slíz-Balogh J, Horváth Á, Egri Á, Virágh B, Horváth D, Jánosi IM. Sunflower inflorescences absorb maximum light energy if they face east and afternoons are cloudier than mornings. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21597. [PMID: 33299003 PMCID: PMC7725789 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78243-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The mature inflorescence of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) orients eastward after its anthesis (the flowering period, especially the maturing of the stamens), from which point it no longer tracks the Sun. Although several hypothetical explanations have been proposed for the ecological functions of this east facing, none have been tested. Here we propose an atmospheric-optical explanation. Using (i) astronomical data of the celestial motion of the Sun, (ii) meteorological data of diurnal cloudiness for Boone County located in the region from which domesticated sunflowers originate, (iii) time-dependent elevation angle of mature sunflower heads, and (iv) absorption spectra of the inflorescence and the back of heads, we computed the light energy absorbed separately by the inflorescence and the back between anthesis and senescence. We found that the inflorescences facing east absorb the maximum radiation, being advantageous for seed production and maturation, furthermore west facing would be more advantageous than south facing. The reason for these is that afternoons are cloudier than mornings in the cultivation areas of sunflowers. Since the photosynthesizing green back of mature heads absorbs maximal energy when the inflorescence faces west, maximizing the energy absorbed by the back cannot explain the east facing of inflorescences. The same results were obtained for central Italy and Hungary, where mornings are also less cloudy than afternoons. In contrast, in south Sweden, where mornings are cloudier than afternoons, west-facing mature inflorescences would absorb the maximum light energy. We suggest that the domesticated Helianthus annuus developed an easterly final orientation of its mature inflorescence, because it evolved in a region with cloudier afternoons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Horváth
- Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Judit Slíz-Balogh
- Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Astronomy, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ákos Horváth
- Meteorological Institute, Universität Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ádám Egri
- Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29-31, 1113, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Virágh
- Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dániel Horváth
- Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Imre M Jánosi
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
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6
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Tamang A, Parsons R, Lertchaiwarakul C, Palanchoke U, Kojima H, Salleo A, Nakamura M, Knipp D. Combining Photosynthesis and Photovoltaics: A Hybrid Energy-Harvesting System Using Optical Antennas. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:40261-40268. [PMID: 32805798 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c09007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A hybrid energy-harvesting system is proposed that combines photosynthesis and photovoltaics. First, the light passes through a spectrally selective solar cell, which absorbs almost all green light but absorbs almost no blue and red light. The blue and red light are absorbed by a photosynthesis executing plant. The solar cell is tailored in such a way that the photosynthetic process is almost unaffected by the generation of electrical energy. The spectrally selective solar cell consists of an array of inorganic optical antennas. By combining a spectrally selective solar cell and a photosynthetic executing plant, a hybrid energy system is formed, which absorbs almost 100% of the visible light, while the energy conversion efficiency of the solar cell reaches up to 50% of their nonspectrally selective counterparts. Guidelines are provided on how to realize both the highly efficient spectrally selective solar cells and hybrid energy-harvesting systems. The proposed solution allows for the realization of new greenhouses or gardens covered with spectrally selective transparent solar cells that produce chemical energy in the form of fruits and vegetables and electrical energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asman Tamang
- School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Rion Parsons
- School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Cher Lertchaiwarakul
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 630-0192 Ikoma, Nara, Japan
| | - Ujwol Palanchoke
- CEA Laboratoire d'electronique des technologies de l'information, 38054 Grenoble, France
| | - Hirotaka Kojima
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 630-0192 Ikoma, Nara, Japan
| | - Alberto Salleo
- Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Masakazu Nakamura
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 630-0192 Ikoma, Nara, Japan
| | - Dietmar Knipp
- School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany
- Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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7
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Kutschera U, Pieruschka R, Farmer S, Berry JA. The Warburg-effects: basic metabolic processes with reference to cancer development and global photosynthesis. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2020; 15:1776477. [PMID: 32508236 PMCID: PMC8570714 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2020.1776477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
One century ago (1920), Otto Warburg (1883-1970) discovered that in liquid cultures of unicellular green algae (Chlorella sp.) molecular oxygen (O2) exerts an inhibitory effect on photosynthesis. Decades later, O2 dependent suppression of photosynthetic carbon dioxide (CO2) assimilation (the "green" Warbur geffect) was confirmed on the leaves of seed plants. Here, we summarize the history of this discovery and elucidate the consequences of the photorespiratory pathway in land plants with reference to unpublished CO2 exchange data measured on the leaves of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) plants. In addition, we discuss the inefficiency of the key enzyme Rubisco and analyze data concerning the productivity of C3 vs. C4 crop species (sunflower vs. maize, Zea mays). Warburg's discovery inaugurated a research agenda in the biochemistry of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation that continues to the present. In addition, we briefly discuss Warburg's model of metabolic processes in cancer, net primary production (global photosynthesis) with respect to climate change, trees and other land plants as CO2 removers, and potential climate mitigators in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Kutschera
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
- The Systems Biology Group, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA
- CONTACT Ulrich Kutschera Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA94305, USA; Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Germany
| | - Roland Pieruschka
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Steve Farmer
- The Systems Biology Group, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Joseph A. Berry
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
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8
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van Wyk AS, Prinsloo G. Challenging current interpretation of sunflower movements. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:6049-6056. [PMID: 31504705 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the literature, Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower) movements are generally described as heliotropic. It is generally believed that the leaves and flowers of the growing H. annuus plant track the sun as the sun moves across the sky from east to west. This paper, however, challenges current interpretation regarding H. annuus movements, as the literature generally excludes the rotation of the earth around its own axis, gravity, and the possible role of gravitation. The general exclusion of the earth's rotation in the literature may also have resulted in flawed research design in studies conducted on H. annuus movements, which in turn may have directed researchers towards the misinterpretation of results. This paper aims to include the possible role of the Earth's rotation, gravity, and gravitation when describing H. annuus movements and to provide possible alternative explanations for the results achieved by researchers. This paper further includes concepts and examples relevant to plant movements, such as the rhythms often associated with plant movements, the physiology of plant movements, referring to turgor pressure as the main force behind plant movements, and plant rhythmic clocks and their characteristics, in order to explain the alternative views and to relate them to H. annuus movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne S van Wyk
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida campus, Florida, South Africa
| | - Gerhard Prinsloo
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Florida campus, Florida, South Africa
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9
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Vandenbrink JP, Herranz R, Poehlman WL, Alex Feltus F, Villacampa A, Ciska M, Javier Medina F, Kiss JZ. RNA-seq analyses of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings after exposure to blue-light phototropic stimuli in microgravity. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2019; 106:1466-1476. [PMID: 31709515 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Plants synthesize information from multiple environmental stimuli when determining their direction of growth. Gravity, being ubiquitous on Earth, plays a major role in determining the direction of growth and overall architecture of the plant. Here, we utilized the microgravity environment on board the International Space Station (ISS) to identify genes involved influencing growth and development of phototropically stimulated seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana. METHODS Seedlings were grown on the ISS, and RNA was extracted from 7 samples (pools of 10-15 plants) grown in microgravity (μg) or Earth gravity conditions (1-g). Transcriptomic analyses via RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of differential gene expression was performed using the HISAT2-Stringtie-DESeq2 RNASeq pipeline. Differentially expressed genes were further characterized by using Pathway Analysis and enrichment for Gene Ontology classifications. RESULTS For 296 genes that were found significantly differentially expressed between plants in microgravity compared to 1-g controls, Pathway Analysis identified eight molecular pathways that were significantly affected by reduced gravity conditions. Specifically, light-associated pathways (e.g., photosynthesis-antenna proteins, photosynthesis, porphyrin, and chlorophyll metabolism) were significantly downregulated in microgravity. CONCLUSIONS Gene expression in A. thaliana seedlings grown in microgravity was significantly altered compared to that of the 1-g control. Understanding how plants grow in conditions of microgravity not only aids in our understanding of how plants grow and respond to the environment but will also help to efficiently grow plants during long-range space missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Vandenbrink
- School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, 71272, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA
| | - Raul Herranz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, E28040, Spain
| | - William L Poehlman
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | - F Alex Feltus
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | | | - Malgorzata Ciska
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, E28040, Spain
| | - F Javier Medina
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, E28040, Spain
| | - John Z Kiss
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA
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10
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van der Kooi CJ, Kevan PG, Koski MH. The thermal ecology of flowers. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2019; 124:343-353. [PMID: 31206146 PMCID: PMC6798827 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obtaining an optimal flower temperature can be crucial for plant reproduction because temperature mediates flower growth and development, pollen and ovule viability, and influences pollinator visitation. The thermal ecology of flowers is an exciting, yet understudied field of plant biology. SCOPE This review focuses on several attributes that modify exogenous heat absorption and retention in flowers. We discuss how flower shape, orientation, heliotropic movements, pubescence, coloration, opening-closing movements and endogenous heating contribute to the thermal balance of flowers. Whenever the data are available, we provide quantitative estimates of how these floral attributes contribute to heating of the flower, and ultimately plant fitness. OUTLOOK Future research should establish form-function relationships between floral phenotypes and temperature, determine the fitness effects of the floral microclimate, and identify broad ecological correlates with heat capture mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casper J van der Kooi
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Peter G Kevan
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Matthew H Koski
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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11
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Taiz L, Alkon D, Draguhn A, Murphy A, Blatt M, Hawes C, Thiel G, Robinson DG. Plants Neither Possess nor Require Consciousness. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 24:677-687. [PMID: 31279732 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In claiming that plants have consciousness, 'plant neurobiologists' have consistently glossed over the remarkable degree of structural and functional complexity that the brain had to evolve for consciousness to emerge. Here, we outline a new hypothesis proposed by Feinberg and Mallat for the evolution of consciousness in animals. Based on a survey of the brain anatomy, functional complexity, and behaviors of a broad spectrum of animals, criteria were established for the emergence of consciousness. The only animals that satisfied these criteria were the vertebrates (including fish), arthropods (e.g., insects, crabs), and cephalopods (e.g., octopuses, squids). In light of Feinberg and Mallat's analysis, we consider the likelihood that plants, with their relative organizational simplicity and lack of neurons and brains, have consciousness to be effectively nil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lincoln Taiz
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
| | - Daniel Alkon
- Neurotrope, Inc., 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036, USA
| | - Andreas Draguhn
- Institut für Physiologie und Pathophysiologie, Medizinische Fakultät Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 326, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angus Murphy
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, 2104 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Michael Blatt
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Chris Hawes
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Gerhard Thiel
- Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - David G Robinson
- Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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12
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Heinrich MK, von Mammen S, Hofstadler DN, Wahby M, Zahadat P, Skrzypczak T, Soorati MD, Krela R, Kwiatkowski W, Schmickl T, Ayres P, Stoy K, Hamann H. Constructing living buildings: a review of relevant technologies for a novel application of biohybrid robotics. J R Soc Interface 2019; 16:20190238. [PMID: 31362616 PMCID: PMC6685033 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Biohybrid robotics takes an engineering approach to the expansion and exploitation of biological behaviours for application to automated tasks. Here, we identify the construction of living buildings and infrastructure as a high-potential application domain for biohybrid robotics, and review technological advances relevant to its future development. Construction, civil infrastructure maintenance and building occupancy in the last decades have comprised a major portion of economic production, energy consumption and carbon emissions. Integrating biological organisms into automated construction tasks and permanent building components therefore has high potential for impact. Live materials can provide several advantages over standard synthetic construction materials, including self-repair of damage, increase rather than degradation of structural performance over time, resilience to corrosive environments, support of biodiversity, and mitigation of urban heat islands. Here, we review relevant technologies, which are currently disparate. They span robotics, self-organizing systems, artificial life, construction automation, structural engineering, architecture, bioengineering, biomaterials, and molecular and cellular biology. In these disciplines, developments relevant to biohybrid construction and living buildings are in the early stages, and typically are not exchanged between disciplines. We, therefore, consider this review useful to the future development of biohybrid engineering for this highly interdisciplinary application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Katherine Heinrich
- Institute of Computer Engineering, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- School of Architecture, Centre for IT and Architecture, Royal Danish Academy, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sebastian von Mammen
- Human–Computer Interaction, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Mostafa Wahby
- Institute of Computer Engineering, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Payam Zahadat
- Institute of Biology, Artificial Life Lab, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Department of Computer Science, IT University of Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
| | - Tomasz Skrzypczak
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Rafał Krela
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Wojciech Kwiatkowski
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Thomas Schmickl
- Institute of Biology, Artificial Life Lab, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Phil Ayres
- School of Architecture, Centre for IT and Architecture, Royal Danish Academy, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kasper Stoy
- Department of Computer Science, IT University of Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
| | - Heiko Hamann
- Institute of Computer Engineering, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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13
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Ge Y, Lai Q, Luo P, Liu X, Chen W. Transcriptome profiling of Gerbera hybrida reveals that stem bending is caused by water stress and regulation of abscisic acid. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:600. [PMID: 31331262 PMCID: PMC6647082 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5961-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gerbera hybrida is one of the most popular cut flowers in the world; however, stem bending, which always happens when gerbera flower harvested from the field, greatly limits its vase life. To date the molecular mechanisms underlying stem bending remain poorly understood. Results In this study, we performed high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of gerbera during stem bending using the Illumina sequencing technology. Three cDNA libraries constructed from mRNAs of gerbera stem at stem bending stage 0, 2 and 4 were sequenced. More than 300 million high-quality reads were generated and assembled into 96,492 unigenes. Among them, 34,166 unigenes were functionally annotated based on similarity search with known protein. Sequences derived from plants at different stem bending stages were mapped to the assembled transcriptome, and 9,406 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, specific pathways were identified during the stem bending process, such as phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, phenylalanine metabolism pathway, starch and sucrose metabolism pathway, and plant hormone signal transduction pathway. A total of 211 transcription factors (TFs), including TF families involved in plant senescence, such as NAC, MYB, WRKY, and AP2/ERF members, as well as TFs related to water stress tolerance, were shown to be regulated during stem bending. Gene Onotology (GO) functional enrichment analysis indicated that key genes involved in responses to osmotic and oxidative stresses were also varied in expression during this process. Furthermore, analysis of DEGs involved in the hormone signaling pathways and determination of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) content showed that stem bending may be an ethylene-independent process, but regulated by ABA. In short, our findings suggested that the stem bending of cut gerbera may be caused by the involvement of water stress and regulation of ABA during the postharvest life. Conclusions The transcriptome sequences provide a valuable resource in revealing the molecular mechanism underlying stem bending of cut flower and offer novel genes that can be used to guide future studies for ornamental plant breeding. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5961-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Ge
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, School of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Lin'an, China
| | - Qixian Lai
- The Key Laboratory of Creative Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Rural Development Institute, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Luo
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, School of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Lin'an, China
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Wen Chen
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, School of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Lin'an, China.
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14
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Kutschera U, Briggs WR. Photomorphogenesis of the root system in developing sunflower seedlings: a role for sucrose. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2019; 21:627-633. [PMID: 30821893 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The domestic sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv. 'Giganteus') has been used since the 19th century as a model plant for the study of seedling development in darkness and white light (WL) (scoto- versus photomorphogenesis). However, most pertinent studies have focused on the developmental patterns of the hypocotyl and cotyledons, whereas the root system has been largely ignored. In this study, we analysed entire sunflower seedlings (root and shoot) and quantified organ development in the above- and belowground parts of the organism under natural (non-sterile) conditions. We document that seedlings, raised in moist vermiculite, are covered with methylobacteria, microbes that are known to promote root development in Arabidopsis. Quantitative data revealed that during photomorphogenesis in WL, the root system expands by 90%, whereas stem elongation is inhibited, and hook opening/cotyledon expansion occurs. Root morphogenesis may be mediated via imported sucrose provided by the green, photosynthetically active cotyledons. This hypothesis is supported by the documented effect of sucrose on the induction of lateral root initials in sunflower cuttings. Under these experimental conditions, phytohormones (auxin, cytokinin, brassinolide) exerted little effect on root and cotyledon expansion, and no hormone-induced initiation of lateral roots was observed. It is concluded that sucrose not only acts as an energy source to fuel cell metabolism but is also a shoot-derived signalling molecule that triggers root morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Kutschera
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - W R Briggs
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
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15
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Herranz R, Vandenbrink JP, Villacampa A, Manzano A, Poehlman WL, Feltus FA, Kiss JZ, Medina FJ. RNAseq Analysis of the Response of Arabidopsis thaliana to Fractional Gravity Under Blue-Light Stimulation During Spaceflight. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1529. [PMID: 31850027 PMCID: PMC6889863 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Traveling to nearby extraterrestrial objects having a reduced gravity level (partial gravity) compared to Earth's gravity is becoming a realistic objective for space agencies. The use of plants as part of life support systems will require a better understanding of the interactions among plant growth responses including tropisms, under partial gravity conditions. Materials and Methods: Here, we present results from our latest space experiments on the ISS, in which seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana were germinated, and seedlings grew for six days under different gravity levels, namely micro-g, several intermediate partial-g levels, and 1g, and were subjected to irradiation with blue light for the last 48 h. RNA was extracted from 20 samples for subsequent RNAseq analysis. Transcriptomic analysis was performed using the HISAT2-Stringtie-DESeq pipeline. Differentially expressed genes were further characterized for global responses using the GEDI tool, gene networks and for Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment. Results: Differential gene expression analysis revealed only one differentially expressed gene (AT4G21560, VPS28-1 a vacuolar protein) across all gravity conditions using FDR correction (q < 0.05). However, the same 14 genes appeared differentially expressed when comparing either micro-g, low-g level (< 0.1g) or the Moon g-level with 1g control conditions. Apart from these 14-shared genes, the number of differentially expressed genes was similar in microgravity and the Moon g-level and increased in the intermediate g-level (< 0.1g), but it was then progressively reduced as the difference with the Earth gravity became smaller. The GO groups were differentially affected at each g-level: light and photosynthesis GO under microgravity, genes belonged to general stress, chemical and hormone responses under low-g, and a response related to cell wall and membrane structure and function under the Moon g-level. Discussion: Transcriptional analyses of plants under blue light stimulation suggests that root blue-light phototropism may be enough to reduce the gravitational stress response caused by the lack of gravitropism in microgravity. Competition among tropisms induces an intense perturbation at the micro-g level, which shows an extensive stress response that is progressively attenuated. Our results show a major effect on cell wall/membrane remodeling (detected at the interval from the Moon to Mars gravity), which can be potentially related to graviresistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl Herranz
- Plant Microgravity Lab, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Raúl Herranz,
| | - Joshua P. Vandenbrink
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, United States
| | - Alicia Villacampa
- Plant Microgravity Lab, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Aránzazu Manzano
- Plant Microgravity Lab, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - William L. Poehlman
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Frank Alex Feltus
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - John Z. Kiss
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
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16
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Kutschera U, Wang ZY. Light and plant development: the discovery of phototropins by Winslow R. Briggs (1928-2019). PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2019; 14:e1652521. [PMID: 31434535 PMCID: PMC6768212 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2019.1652521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The American biologist Winslow Russel Briggs (1928-2019) was a global leader in plant physiology, genetics and photobiology. In this contribution, we try to share our knowledge of the remarkable career of this outstanding scientist. After earning his PhD at Harvard (Cambridge, Massachusetts), he started his independent research program at Stanford University (California). Among many major contributions was his elegant experiment that conclusively demonstrated the role of auxin transport in the phototropic bending response of grass coleoptiles. During subsequent years as Professor of biology at Harvard University, Briggs focused on phytochrome and photomorphogenesis. In 1973, he re-located to Stanford to become Director of the Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, and faculty member in the Biology Department at Stanford University. After his retirement (1993), he continued his research on "light and plant development" as an emeritus at Carnegie until the day of his death on February 11, 2019. Through his long research career, Briggs stayed at the cutting edge by re-inventing himself from a plant physiologist, to biochemist, geneticist, and molecular biologist. He made numerous discoveries, including the LOV-domain photoreceptor phototropin. Winslow Briggs, who was also a naturalist and gifted pianist, inspired and promoted the work of generations of young scientists - as mentor, colleague and friend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Kutschera
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
- CONTACT Ulrich Kutschera
| | - Zhi-Yong Wang
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
- Zhi-Yong Wang
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17
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Kutschera U, Niklas KJ. Julius Sachs (1868): The father of plant physiology. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2018; 105:656-666. [PMID: 29772073 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The year 2018 marks the 150th anniversary of the first publication of Julius von Sachs' (1832-1897) Lehrbuch der Botanik (Textbook of Botany), which provided a comprehensive summary of what was then known about the plant sciences. Three years earlier, in 1865, Sachs produced the equally impressive Handbuch der Experimental-Physiologie der Pflanzen (Handbook of Experimental Plant Physiology), which summarized the state of knowledge in all aspects of the discipline known today as plant physiology. Both of these books provided numerous insights based on Sachs' seminal experiments. By virtue of a reliance on detailed empirical observation and the rigorous application of chemical and physical principles, it is fair to say that the publication of these two monumental works marked the beginning of what can be called "modern-day" plant science. Moreover, Sachs' Lehrbuch der Botanik prefigured the ascendance of plant molecular biology and the systems biology of photoautotrophic organisms. Regrettably, many of the insights of this great scientist have been forgotten by the generations who followed. It is only fitting, therefore, that the anniversary of the publication of the Lehrbuch der Botanik and the career of "the father of plant physiology" should be honored and reviewed, particularly because Sachs established the physiology of green organisms as an integral branch of botany and incorporated a Darwinian perspective into plant biology. Here we highlight key insights, with particular emphasis on Sachs' detailed discussion of sexual reproduction at the cellular level and his endorsement of Darwinian evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Kutschera
- Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, D-34132, Kassel, Germany
| | - Karl J Niklas
- Plant Science Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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18
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Veenstra F, Metayer C, Risi S, Stoy K. Toward Energy Autonomy in Heterogeneous Modular Plant-Inspired Robots through Artificial Evolution. Front Robot AI 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2017.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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19
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Beyer R. Efficient modelling of foliage distribution and crown dynamics in monolayer tree species. Theory Biosci 2017; 136:193-197. [PMID: 28578464 DOI: 10.1007/s12064-017-0249-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
In response to the computational limitations of individual leaf-based tree growth models, this article presents a new approach for the efficient characterisation of the spatial distribution of foliage in monolayered trees in terms of 2D foliage surfaces. Much like the recently introduced 3D leaf area density, this concept accommodates local crown plasticity, which is a common weak point in large-scale growth models. Recognizing phototropism as the predominant driver of spatial crown expansion, we define the local light gradient on foliage surfaces. We consider the partial differential equation describing the evolution of a curve expanding along the light gradient and present an explicit solution. The article concludes with an illustration of the incorporation of foliage surfaces in a simple tree growth model for European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), and discusses perspectives for applications in functional-structural models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Beyer
- McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3ER, UK.
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
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20
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Deng Z, Wang ZY, Kutschera U. Seedling development in maize cv. B73 and blue light-mediated proteomic changes in the tip vs. stem of the coleoptile. PROTOPLASMA 2017; 254:1317-1322. [PMID: 27631339 PMCID: PMC5885752 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-016-1023-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In 2009, the draft genome of the reference inbred line of maize (Zea mays L. spp. mays cv. B73) was published so that, using this specific corn variety, molecular analyses of physiological processes became possible. However, the morphology and developmental patterns of B73 maize, compared with that of the more frequently used hybrid varieties, have not yet been analyzed. Here, we describe organ development in seedlings of B73 maize and in those of six other hybrid cultivars, and document significant morphological as well as quantitative differences between these varieties of Z. mays. In a second set of experiments, we used etiolated seedlings of B73 maize to analyze the effect of blue light (BL) on the patterns of proteins in the tip vs. growing region of this sheath-like organ. By using two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D DIGE), coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, we detected, in the microsomal fraction of maize coleoptile tips, rapid changes in the abundance of protein spots of maize phototropin 1 and several metabolic enzymes. In the sub-apical (growing) region of the coleoptile, proteomic changes were less pronounced. These results suggest that the tip of the coleoptile of B73 maize may serve as a unique model system for dissecting BL responses in a light-sensitive plant organ of known function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiping Deng
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base for Zhejiang Sustainable Pest and Disease Control, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Zhi-Yong Wang
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Ulrich Kutschera
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, California, 94305, USA.
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21
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Mora-García S, de Leone MJ, Yanovsky M. Time to grow: circadian regulation of growth and metabolism in photosynthetic organisms. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2017; 35:84-90. [PMID: 27912128 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2016.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Circadian clocks are molecular devices that help adjust organisms to periodic environmental changes. Although formally described as self-sustaining oscillators that are synchronized by external cues and produce defined outputs, it is increasingly clear that physiological processes not only are regulated by, but also regulate the function of the clock. We discuss three recent examples of the intimate relationships between the function of the clock, growth and metabolism in photosynthetic organisms: the daily tracking of sun by sunflowers, the fine computations plants and cyanobacteria perform to manage carbon reserves and prevent starvation, and the changes in clock parameters that went along with domestication of tomato.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Mora-García
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - María José de Leone
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Yanovsky
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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22
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Vandenbrink JP, Herranz R, Medina FJ, Edelmann RE, Kiss JZ. A novel blue-light phototropic response is revealed in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana in microgravity. PLANTA 2016; 244:1201-1215. [PMID: 27507239 PMCID: PMC5748516 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-016-2581-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Blue-light positive phototropism in roots is masked by gravity and revealed in conditions of microgravity. In addition, the magnitude of red-light positive phototropic curvature is correlated to the magnitude of gravity. Due to their sessile nature, plants utilize environmental cues to grow and respond to their surroundings. Two of these cues, light and gravity, play a substantial role in plant orientation and directed growth movements (tropisms). However, very little is currently known about the interaction between light- (phototropic) and gravity (gravitropic)-mediated growth responses. Utilizing the European Modular Cultivation System on board the International Space Station, we investigated the interaction between phototropic and gravitropic responses in three Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes, Landsberg wild type, as well as mutants of phytochrome A and phytochrome B. Onboard centrifuges were used to create a fractional gravity gradient ranging from reduced gravity up to 1g. A novel positive blue-light phototropic response of roots was observed during conditions of microgravity, and this response was attenuated at 0.1g. In addition, a red-light pretreatment of plants enhanced the magnitude of positive phototropic curvature of roots in response to blue illumination. In addition, a positive phototropic response of roots was observed when exposed to red light, and a decrease in response was gradual and correlated with the increase in gravity. The positive red-light phototropic curvature of hypocotyls when exposed to red light was also confirmed. Both red-light and blue-light phototropic responses were also shown to be affected by directional light intensity. To our knowledge, this is the first characterization of a positive blue-light phototropic response in Arabidopsis roots, as well as the first description of the relationship between these phototropic responses in fractional or reduced gravities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Vandenbrink
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA
| | - Raul Herranz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - John Z Kiss
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA.
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23
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van der Kooi CJ. Plant Biology: Flower Orientation, Temperature Regulation and Pollinator Attraction. Curr Biol 2016; 26:R1143-R1145. [PMID: 27825450 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.08.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The reproductive performance of plants depends on the temperature of the flower. A recent study reports the mechanistic basis of flower head orientation in sunflowers and provides intriguing hints as to its functional significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casper J van der Kooi
- University of Lausanne, Department of Ecology and Evolution, CH 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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24
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Affiliation(s)
- Winslow R Briggs
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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25
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Atamian HS, Creux NM, Brown RI, Garner AG, Blackman BK, Harmer SL. Circadian regulation of sunflower heliotropism, floral orientation, and pollinator visits. Science 2016; 353:587-90. [PMID: 27493185 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf9793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Young sunflower plants track the Sun from east to west during the day and then reorient during the night to face east in anticipation of dawn. In contrast, mature plants cease movement with their flower heads facing east. We show that circadian regulation of directional growth pathways accounts for both phenomena and leads to increased vegetative biomass and enhanced pollinator visits to flowers. Solar tracking movements are driven by antiphasic patterns of elongation on the east and west sides of the stem. Genes implicated in control of phototropic growth, but not clock genes, are differentially expressed on the opposite sides of solar tracking stems. Thus, interactions between environmental response pathways and the internal circadian oscillator coordinate physiological processes with predictable changes in the environment to influence growth and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagop S Atamian
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Nicky M Creux
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Robin Isadora Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, PO Box 400328, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Austin G Garner
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, PO Box 400328, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Benjamin K Blackman
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, PO Box 400328, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA. Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, 111 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Stacey L Harmer
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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26
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Kutschera U, Niklas KJ. The evolution of the plant genome-to-morphology auxin circuit. Theory Biosci 2016; 135:175-86. [PMID: 27333773 DOI: 10.1007/s12064-016-0231-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In his Generelle Morphologie der Organismen (1866), 150 years ago, Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) combined developmental patterns in animals with the concept of organismic evolution, and 50 years ago, a new era of plant research started when focus shifted from crop species (sunflower, maize etc.) to thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) as a model organism. In this contribution, we outline the general principles of developmental evolutionary biology sensu Haeckel and describe the evolutionary genome-to-morphology-plant hormone auxin (IAA, indole-3-acetic acid)-circuit with reference to other phytohormones and a focus on land plants (embryophytes) plus associated epiphytic microbes. Our primary conclusion is that a system-wide approach is required to truly understand the ontogeny of any organism, because development proceeds according to signal pathways that integrate and respond to external as well as internal stimuli. We also discuss IAA-regulated embryology in A. thaliana and epigenetic phenomena in the gametophyte development, and outline how these processes are connected to the seminal work of Ernst Haeckel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Kutschera
- Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, 34109, Kassel, Germany.
| | - Karl J Niklas
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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