Communication in Plants (eBook)

Preface 5
References 8
Contents 10
Contributors 21
The Green Plant as an Intelligent Organism 28
1.1 Introduction 28
1.2 Intelligent Behaviour of Single Cells 31
1.3 Other Forms of Biological Intelligence 34
1.4 The Intelligence of Green Plants 35
1.5 Conclusions and Future Prospects 38
References 39
Neurobiological View of Plants and Their Body Plan 46
2.1 Introduction 47
2.2 Root Apex as the Anterior Pole of the Plant Body 48
2.3 Shoot Apex as the Posterior Pole of the Plant Body 50
2.4 Auxin as a Plant Neurotransmitter 51
2.5 Cellular End-Poles as Plant Synapses 51
2.6 Vascular Strands as Plant Neurons 52
2.7 Root Apices as “Brain-Like” Command Centres 54
2.8 Ancient Fungal-Like Nature of Roots 56
2.9 Conclusions and Future Prospects 58
References 58
Charles Darwin and the Plant Root Apex: Closing a Gap in Living Systems Theory as Applied to Plants 63
3.1 Introduction 63
3.2 The Advancing Root Front and Brain System 65
3.3 The Location of the Plant Root-Brain 65
3.4 The Anterior Root-Brain 69
3.5 Closing a Gap in Living Systems Theory 70
3.6 Conclusions and Future Prospects 73
References 75
How Can Plants Choose the Most Promising Organs? 78
4.1 Introduction: Developmental Selection of Branch Configurations 78
4.2 An Experimental Model Demonstrates Branch Competition 79
4.3 Mechanisms of Competition 85
4.4 Conclusions and Future Prospects 86
References 87
The Role of Root Apices in Shoot Growth Regulation: Support for Neurobiology at the Whole Plant Level? 89
5.1 Introduction 89
5.2 The Comparative Need for Rapid Neurobiological Activity in Animals and Plants 90
5.3 Plants That ManageWithout Roots, Root Apices and Vascular Tissues 91
5.4 Do Plant Shoot Responses to Environmental Stresses Require Rapid Root- to- Shoot Signaling? 93
5.5 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 96
References 96
Signals and Targets Triggered by Self- Incompatibility in Plants: Recognition of “ Self ” Can Be Deadly 98
6.1 Introduction 98
6.2 The Actin Cytoskeleton and Self-Incompatibility 101
6.3 Programmed Cell Death and Self-Incompatibility 107
6.4 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 110
References 112
Signal Perception and Transduction in Plant Innate Immunity 117
7.1 Introduction 117
7.2 PAMPs as Triggers of Nonplant Cultivar-Specific Innate Immune Responses 118
7.3 Plant Pattern Recognition Receptors Mediate PAMP Perception and Activation of Non- Cultivar- Specific Plant Defense 120
7.4 Pathogen Recognition in Host Cultivar-Specific Resistance 122
7.5 Intracellular Signal Transduction in Plant Innate Immunity 124
7.6 Conclusions and Future Prospects 126
References 126
Nitric Oxide Involvement in Incompatible Plant– Pathogen Interactions 132
8.1 Introduction 132
8.2 Activation of the Defense Response 133
8.3 NO Production During the Hypersensitive Disease Resistance Response 134
8.4 Experimental Approaches for Manipulation of Endogenous NO Levels 135
8.5 NO and Cell Death 136
8.6 NO Signaling in the Plant Defense Response 137
8.7 Systemic Acquired Resistance and NO 138
8.8 Conclusions and Future Prospects 139
References 140
From Cell Division to Organ Shape: Nitric Oxide Is Involved in Auxin- Mediated Root Development 143
9.1 Introduction 143
9.2 Nitric Oxide Mediates Auxin-Induced Lateral Root Development 147
9.3 Nitric Oxide Is Required for Adventitious Root Formation 149
9.4 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 153
References 153
Neurotransmitters, Neuroregulators and Neurotoxins in Plants 157
10.1 Neurotransmitters: Signaling Molecule in Plants? 157
10.2 Neuroregulators in Plants 162
10.3 Neurotoxins in Plants 164
10.4 Conclusions and Future Prospects 168
References 168
Amino Acid Transport in Plants and Transport of Neurotransmitters in Animals: a Common Mechanism? 172
11.1 Introduction 172
11.2 Amino Acid Transport in Animals 173
11.3 Amino Acid Transport in Plants 178
11.4 Conclusions and Future Prospects 184
References 185
GABA and GHB Neurotransmitters in Plants and Animals 190
12.1 Introduction 190
12.2 The GABA Shunt and GABA Signaling 192
12.3 GHB, a By-Product of the GABA Shunt and a Neurotransmitter 196
12.4 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 200
References 200
The Arabidopsis thaliana Glutamate-like Receptor Family (AtGLR) 205
13.1 Introduction 205
13.2 Roles (and Effects) of Glutamate, Glycine and Interrelated Amino Acids in Plants 207
13.3 Roles of AtGLR 210
13.4 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 215
References 218
Similarities Between Endocannabinoid Signaling in Animal Systems and N-Acylethanolamine Metabolism in Plants 223
14.1 Introduction and Overview of Mammalian Endocannabinoid Signaling 223
14.2 NAE Structure and Occurrence in Plants 225
14.3 NAE Metabolism in Plants 226
14.4 Prospective Functions of NAE in Plants 231
14.5 Conclusions and Future Prospects 234
References 234
Regulation of Plant Growth and Development by Extracellular Nucleotides 238
15.1 Introduction 238
15.2 Rapid Responses of Plants to Applied Nucleotides 239
15.3 Slower Growth Response Changes Induced by eATP 245
15.4 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 248
References 249
Physiological Roles of Nonselective Cation Channels in the Plasma Membrane of Higher Plants 252
16.1 Introduction 252
16.2 Physiological Roles of Animal NSCC 253
16.3 Functional Classification of Plant NSCC 253
16.4 The Role of NSCC in Plant Mineral Nutrition 254
16.5 The Role of NSCC in Plant Signalling 257
16.6 The Role of NSCC in Plant Growth and Development 261
16.7 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 261
References 261
Touch-Responsive Behaviors and Gene Expression in Plants 266
17.1 Specialized Plants – Touch Responses That Catch Attention 266
17.2 Thigmotropism – Vines, Tendrils and Roots 268
17.3 Thigmomorphogenesis – Plasticity of Shoot Growth 269
17.4 Mechanosensitive Gene Expression 270
17.5 Conclusions and Future Prospects 273
References 274
Oscillations in Plants 278
18.1 Introduction 278
18.2 Diversity and Hierarchy of Plant Oscillators 279
18.3 Advantages and Principles of Oscillatory Control 285
18.4 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 289
References 289
Electrical Signals in Long-Distance Communication in Plants 293
19.1 Action Potentials 293
19.2 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 303
References 303
SlowWave Potentials – a Propagating Electrical Signal Unique to Higher Plants 307
20.1 A New Effort to Decipher the Impact of Electrical Long- Distance Signals in Plants 308
20.2 Propagating Depolarization Signals in Plants 308
20.3 SWPs are Hydraulically-Induced Depolarizations 311
20.4 The Propagation of SWPs 317
20.5 The Ionic Mechanism of SWPs 318
20.6 The Effects of SWPs: Targeted Organs 319
20.7 WPs and SWPs 320
References 321
Electrical Signals, the Cytoskeleton, and Gene Expression: a Hypothesis on the Coherence of the Cellular Responses to Environmental Insult 325
21.1 Introduction to the Hypothesis 325
21.2 Evidence for Our Hypothesis 328
21.3 Conclusions and Perspectives: The “ Help! It’s a Virus” Hypothesis 334
References 334
Characteristics and Functions of Phloem- Transmitted Electrical Signals in Higher Plants 337
22.1 Introduction 337
22.2 Signal Perception and Short-Distance Electrical Signalling 338
22.3 Long-Distance Signalling via the Phloem 339
22.4 Characteristics of Phloem-Transmitted Action Potentials 341
22.5 Ion Channels of the Phloem 342
22.6 Functions of Electrical Signals in Higher Plants 342
22.7 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 345
References 345
Long-Distance Signal Transmission in Trees 349
23.1 Introduction 349
23.2 Transmission of Chemicals 350
23.3 Hydraulic Signals 352
23.4 Integration of Chemical and Hydraulic Signals 354
23.5 Electrical Signals 355
23.6 Airborne Flow of Volatile Messengers 358
23.7 Colour Signals 359
23.8 Conclusions and Future Prospects 360
References 361
Electrophysiology and Phototropism 366
24.1 Introduction 366
24.2 Phototropism and Photosensors 368
24.3 Electrochemical Circuits 370
24.4 Measuring of Action, Graded, and Variation Potentials in Plants 371
24.5 Light-Induced Electrophysiological Signaling in Plants 373
References 380
Hydro-Electrochemical Integration of the Higher Plant – Basis for Electrogenic Flower Induction 383
25.1 State of the Art in Photoperiodic Control of Flowering in Short- and Long- Day Plants 383
25.2 Rhythms in SER as Markers of Photoperiodic Control and Interorgan Communication in a Long- and a Short- Day Plant 387
25.3 Early Changes at the Shoot Apical Meristem During Flower Induction 387
25.4 Evolution of Circadian Frequencies – Timing of Metabolic Controls 389
25.5Circadian Rhythmic Organisation of Energy Metabolism in C. rubrum and the Gating of Photoreceptor (Phytochrome) Action 390
25.6 Hydraulic–Electrochemical Integration of the Whole Plant 392
25.7 Electrophysiological Integration of Activity of the Whole Plant – Monitoring of Surface SumPotentials 394
25.8 Substitution of Photoperiodic Flower Induction by Electrogenic Flower Induction 399
25.9 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 400
References 401
Signals and Signalling Pathways in PlantWound Responses 404
26.1 Introduction 404
26.2 Patterns of Proteinase Inhibitor Activity and Electrical Activity Following a Variety ofWounding Protocols Applied to Tomato Seedlings 407
26.3 Conclusions and Future Prospects 413
References 414
Root Exudation and Rhizosphere Biology: Multiple Functions of a Plant Secondary Metabolite 415
27.1 Introduction 415
27.2 C. maculosa Invasion Ecology 417
27.3 (±)- Catechin, Allelopathy, and Cell Death 419
27.4 (±)-Catechin and C. maculosa Autoinhibition 424
27.5 (±)- Catechin Effects on Soil Communities 425
27.6 (±)- Catechin, Soil Processes, and Nutrient Availability 427
27.7 Conclusions and Future Prospects 428
References 429
Communication Between Undamaged Plants by Volatiles: the Role of Allelobiosis 433
28.1 Introduction 433
28.2 Allelobiosis in Barley 436
28.3 Allelobiosis and Insect Responses 439
28.4 Conclusions and Future Prospects 443
References 444
Subject Index 447