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18 pages, 3723 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Local Action of Moderate Heating and Illumination Induces Electrical Signals, Suppresses Photosynthetic Light Reactions, and Increases Drought Tolerance in Wheat Plants

by Lyubov Yudina, Alyona Popova, Yuriy Zolin, Kseniya Grebneva, Ekaterina Sukhova and Vladimir Sukhov

Plants 2024, 13(9), 1173; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091173 - 23 Apr 2024

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Abstract

Local actions of stressors induce electrical signals (ESs), influencing photosynthetic processes and probably increasing tolerance to adverse factors in higher plants. However, the participation of well-known depolarization ESs (action potentials and variation potentials) in these responses seems to be rare under natural conditions, [...] Read more.

Local actions of stressors induce electrical signals (ESs), influencing photosynthetic processes and probably increasing tolerance to adverse factors in higher plants. However, the participation of well-known depolarization ESs (action potentials and variation potentials) in these responses seems to be rare under natural conditions, particularly in the case of variation potentials, which are induced by extreme stressors (e.g., burning). Earlier, we showed that the local action of moderate heating and illumination can induce low-amplitude hyperpolarization ESs influencing photosynthetic light reactions in wheat plants cultivated in a vegetation room. In the current work, we analyzed ESs and changes in photosynthetic light reactions and drought tolerance that were induced by a combination of moderate heating and illumination in wheat plants cultivated under open-ground conditions. It was shown that the local heating and illumination induced low-amplitude ESs, and the type of signal (depolarization or hyperpolarization) was dependent on distance from the irritated zone and wheat age. Induction of depolarization ESs was not accompanied by photosynthetic changes in plants under favorable conditions or under weak drought. In contrast, the changes were observed after induction of these signals under moderate drought. Increasing drought tolerance was also observed in the last case. Thus, low-amplitude ESs can participate in photosynthetic regulation and increase tolerance to drought in plants cultivated under open-ground conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Signaling, Behavior and Communication, Volume 2)

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0 pages, 3693 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of the General Anaesthetic Ketamine on Electrical and Ca²⁺ Signal Propagation in Arabidopsis thaliana

by Andrej Pavlovič, Lucie Ševčíková, Martin Hřivňacký and Marek Rác

Plants 2024, 13(6), 894; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060894 - 20 Mar 2024

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Abstract

The systemic electrical signal propagation in plants (i.e., from leaf to leaf) is dependent on GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR-LIKE proteins (GLRs). The GLR receptors are the homologous proteins to the animal ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) which are ligand-gated non-selective cation channels that mediate neurotransmission in [...] Read more.

The systemic electrical signal propagation in plants (i.e., from leaf to leaf) is dependent on GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR-LIKE proteins (GLRs). The GLR receptors are the homologous proteins to the animal ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) which are ligand-gated non-selective cation channels that mediate neurotransmission in the animal’s nervous system. In this study, we investigated the effect of the general anaesthetic ketamine, a well-known non-competitive channel blocker of human iGluRs, on systemic electrical signal propagation in Arabidopsis thaliana. We monitored the electrical signal propagation, intracellular calcium level [Ca²⁺]_cyt and expression of jasmonate (JA)-responsive genes in response to heat wounding. Although ketamine affected the shape and the parameters of the electrical signals (amplitude and half-time, t_1/2) mainly in systemic leaves, it was not able to block a systemic response. Increased [Ca²⁺]_cyt and the expression of jasmonate-responsive genes were detected in local as well as in systemic leaves in response to heat wounding in ketamine-treated plants. This is in contrast with the effect of the volatile general anaesthetic diethyl ether which completely blocked the systemic response. This low potency of ketamine in plants is probably caused by the fact that the critical amino acid residues needed for ketamine binding in human iGluRs are not conserved in plants’ GLRs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Signaling, Behavior and Communication, Volume 2)

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Review

Jump to: Research

24 pages, 1657 KiB

Open AccessReview

Role of Epigenetic Factors in Response to Stress and Establishment of Somatic Memory of Stress Exposure in Plants

by Igor Kovalchuk

Plants 2023, 12(21), 3667; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213667 - 24 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1495

Abstract

All species are well adapted to their environment. Stress causes a magnitude of biochemical and molecular responses in plants, leading to physiological or pathological changes. The response to various stresses is genetically predetermined, but is also controlled on the epigenetic level. Most plants [...] Read more.

All species are well adapted to their environment. Stress causes a magnitude of biochemical and molecular responses in plants, leading to physiological or pathological changes. The response to various stresses is genetically predetermined, but is also controlled on the epigenetic level. Most plants are adapted to their environments through generations of exposure to all elements. Many plant species have the capacity to acclimate or adapt to certain stresses using the mechanism of priming. In most cases, priming is a somatic response allowing plants to deal with the same or similar stress more efficiently, with fewer resources diverted from growth and development. Priming likely relies on multiple mechanisms, but the differential expression of non-coding RNAs, changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and nucleosome repositioning play a crucial role. Specifically, we emphasize the role of BRM/CHR17, BRU1, FGT1, HFSA2, and H2A.Z proteins as positive regulators, and CAF-1, MOM1, DDM1, and SGS3 as potential negative regulators of somatic stress memory. In this review, we will discuss the role of epigenetic factors in response to stress, priming, and the somatic memory of stress exposures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Signaling, Behavior and Communication, Volume 2)

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