Important role of plastid ion channels in plant stress response identified
When plants are attacked by herbivores or pathogens, they must respond rapidly while also preparing for potential future attacks. Calcium, a cellular second messenger, and the plant hormone jasmonic acid play important roles in this response. Within seconds of an injury, the plant generates calcium waves that relay information about the attack. At the same time, the synthesis of jasmonic acid is…
Plastid envelope ion channels, known as PECs, play a crucial role in linking rapid calcium signals to jasmonic acid-mediated defense responses in plants. When a plant is attacked by herbivores or pathogens, calcium waves rapidly propagate to the chloroplast, triggering jasmonic acid synthesis. LMU researchers have discovered that PECs facilitate the influx of cations into chloroplasts, enabling the swift connection between these two processes.
Research led by professors Hans-Henning Kunz and Christian Grimm at LMU demonstrated that PECs mediate rapid cation fluxes into chloroplasts. They directly observed these cation influxes using electrophysiological measurements on isolated organelles from the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. Intriguingly, jasmonic acid production by herbivores or pathogens enhances PEC channel abundance within a few hours, and these channels remain elevated for several days after the initial stress.
If the stress persists or recurs, subsequent stress stimuli lead to stronger chloroplast calcium signals, which further promote jasmonic acid synthesis and prime the plant for a more robust defense response. This priming effect increases the plant's resistance to pathogens like Botrytis cinerea. Kunz explains that PECs enable plants to utilize the experience of an initial stress to prepare for future attacks and enhance their long-term defense mechanisms.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
