journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 18:34 authored by Voss, LJ, McAdam, SAM, Knoblauch, M, Rathje, JM, Timothy BrodribbTimothy Brodribb, Hedrich, R, Roelfsema, MRG Recent studies have revealed that some responses of fern stomata to environmental signals differ from those of their relatives in seed plants. However, it is unknown whether the biophysical properties of guard cells differ fundamentally between species of both clades. Intracellular micro-electrodes and the fluorescent Ca2+ reporter FURA2 were used to study voltage-dependent cation channels and Ca2+ signals in guard cells of the ferns Polypodium vulgare and Asplenium scolopendrium. Voltage clamp experiments with fern guard cells revealed similar properties of voltage-dependent K+ channels as found in seed plants. However, fluorescent dyes moved within the fern stomata, from one guard cell to the other, which does not occur in most seed plants. Despite the presence of plasmodesmata, which interconnect fern guard cells, Ca2+ signals could be elicited in each of the cells individually. Based on the common properties of voltage-dependent channels in ferns and seed plants, it is likely that these key transport proteins are conserved in vascular plants. However, the symplastic connections between fern guard cells in mature stomata indicate that the biophysical mechanisms that control stomatal movements differ between ferns and seed plants.Funding
Australian Research Council
History
Publication title
New PhytologistVolume
219Pagination
206-215ISSN
1469-8137Department/School
School of Natural SciencesPublisher
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.Place of publication
United KingdomRights statement
Copyright? 2018 The Authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Socio-economic Objectives
Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences