Tendril-bearing climbing plants must recur to the tendril helices with chiral perversion or dual chirality for climbing and to obtain sun exposure. Despite researchers' prolonged fascination with climbing tendrils...Tendril-bearing climbing plants must recur to the tendril helices with chiral perversion or dual chirality for climbing and to obtain sun exposure. Despite researchers' prolonged fascination with climbing tendrils since Darwin's time and even earlier, why the soft and slender tendrils can bear heavy loads such as the self-weight of a plant or additional load caused by rain remains elusive. In this paper, we take towel gourd tendrils as an example and investigate the macroscopic and microscopic mechanical behaviors of tendrils through experiments and simulations. Our study indicates that the tendril filament exhibits rubber-like hyperelastic behaviors and can particularly endure large elongation, which is mainly attributed to the superelasticity of the cellulose fibril helix contained in the cell wall. Combination of the tendril helical structure with dual chirality or chiral perversion at a macroscale and a cellulose filament helix at a subcellular level creates superior elasticity for biological species relying on support and climbing. This study provides deep insight into the structure-property relationship of climbing tendrils, and the relationship is useful for the bioinspired design of composite systems with superior elasticity.展开更多
Thigmotropism and thigmomorphogenesis are two related and pervasive processes that play crucial roles in plant adaptation to the environment.However,there have been few investigations into the molecular regulatory mec...Thigmotropism and thigmomorphogenesis are two related and pervasive processes that play crucial roles in plant adaptation to the environment.However,there have been few investigations into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of these phenomena.Cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.)tendrils are ideal material for studying thigmotropism and thigmomorphogenesis because they display a combination of the two processes.Here,we generated the transcriptome profiles of cucumber tendrils at the young,stretch,and coiling stages.Genes related to receptor proteins,transmembrane transport,and ion transport were significantly enriched among those differentially expressed between stages.Pharmacological assays illustrated that three GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR(GLR)genes might play a vital function in perceiving or transducing touch stimulation signals.Comparing the transcriptomes of tendrils and roots after touch stimulation,we found that genes related to extracellular stimulus and xyloglucan metabolism might have conserved functions in the regulation of thigmomorphogenesis.The transcriptome atlas of thigmotropism and thigmomorphogenesis of cucumber tendrils constructed in this study will help further elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind these processes.展开更多
Rare genetic variants are abundant in genomes but less tractable in genome-wide association study. Here we exploit a strategy of rare variation mapping to discover a gene essential for tendril development in cucumber ...Rare genetic variants are abundant in genomes but less tractable in genome-wide association study. Here we exploit a strategy of rare variation mapping to discover a gene essential for tendril development in cucumber （Cucumis sativus L.）. In a collection of 〉3000 lines, we discovered a unique tendril-less line that forms branches instead of tendrils and, therefore, loses its climbing ability. We hypothesized that this unusual phenotype was caused by a rare variation and subsequently identified the causative single nucleotide poly- morphism. The affected gene TEN encodes a TCP transcription factor conserved within the cucurbits and is expressed specifically in tendrils, representing a new organ identity gene. The variation occurs within a pro- tein motif unique to the cucurbits and impairs its function as a transcriptional activator. Analyses of transcrip- tomes from near-isogenic lines identified downstream genes required for the tendril＇s capability to sense and climb a support. This study provides an example to explore rare functional variants in plant genomes.展开更多
Actins are ubiquitous to all of the known eukaryotic organisms. Since the firstdiscovery of actins in higher plants by Yen et al. in 1960s, the actin research ofhigher plants has been extensively carried out. It has b...Actins are ubiquitous to all of the known eukaryotic organisms. Since the firstdiscovery of actins in higher plants by Yen et al. in 1960s, the actin research ofhigher plants has been extensively carried out. It has been shown that the actin is animportant part of cytoskeleton, being involved in many important biological processes,展开更多
Darwin, in his retiring years, conducted long-term studies at home on various modes of the movement of ordinary plant organs and sensitive floral parts, in climbing and twining plants, and in insectivorous plants. His...Darwin, in his retiring years, conducted long-term studies at home on various modes of the movement of ordinary plant organs and sensitive floral parts, in climbing and twining plants, and in insectivorous plants. His conclusions derived therefrom laid emphasis on the fundamental similarty in irritability between plant and animal species, thereby, Supporting his theory of the biological evolution. Since then, Darwin’s展开更多
The tendril of luffa (Luffa officinale),in response to various non-injurious and injuriousstimulations,will first give rise to electrochemical transmission including the action wave,variation wave,andwave complex.It i...The tendril of luffa (Luffa officinale),in response to various non-injurious and injuriousstimulations,will first give rise to electrochemical transmission including the action wave,variation wave,andwave complex.It is then followed by rapid coiling movement which appears within 25—30 s after stimulation.The coiling process continues for 10 min or more.When it is over,the tendril begins to uncoil itself.Tendrils pretreated with the narcotic drug,ethyl ether fail to response to stimulation entirely.Specific inhibitorsof microfilament,cytochalasins B and D,and of myosin,N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetic acid,are both able toprevent the coiling of tendril,without any effect on the electrical wave transmission.Colchicine,known toinhibit microtubule action,is ineffective in preventing coiling.Acetylcholine is able to provoke the tendril coilingdirectly.The effects of drug pretreatments support the proposal that the electrochemical wave transmission elicitedby stimulation is the forerunner for arousing the rapid movement of the sensitive tendril that the actin and myosinare taking part in.Turgor changes in tendril cells are intimately connected with the transmitted and the motoraction of the compact tissues lining along the more sensitive ventral side of the tendril.As the ventral cellsundergo the abrupt contraction and slightly shrink,the dorsal cells become expanded in coiling.Eventually,turgotresumes normal on both sides when uncoiling occurs.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 11872273, 11472191, 11602163, and 11672297)the Major Program of the National Science Foundation of China (Grant 11890683)+1 种基金the Opening Fund of State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanicsthe Australian Endeavour Research Fellowship.
文摘Tendril-bearing climbing plants must recur to the tendril helices with chiral perversion or dual chirality for climbing and to obtain sun exposure. Despite researchers' prolonged fascination with climbing tendrils since Darwin's time and even earlier, why the soft and slender tendrils can bear heavy loads such as the self-weight of a plant or additional load caused by rain remains elusive. In this paper, we take towel gourd tendrils as an example and investigate the macroscopic and microscopic mechanical behaviors of tendrils through experiments and simulations. Our study indicates that the tendril filament exhibits rubber-like hyperelastic behaviors and can particularly endure large elongation, which is mainly attributed to the superelasticity of the cellulose fibril helix contained in the cell wall. Combination of the tendril helical structure with dual chirality or chiral perversion at a macroscale and a cellulose filament helix at a subcellular level creates superior elasticity for biological species relying on support and climbing. This study provides deep insight into the structure-property relationship of climbing tendrils, and the relationship is useful for the bioinspired design of composite systems with superior elasticity.
基金National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2019YFA0906200)the Science and Technology Innovation Team of Shaanxi(Grant No.2021TD-32)the Science and Technology Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(Grant Nos.CAAS-ASTIP and CAAS-ZDRW202009).
文摘Thigmotropism and thigmomorphogenesis are two related and pervasive processes that play crucial roles in plant adaptation to the environment.However,there have been few investigations into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of these phenomena.Cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.)tendrils are ideal material for studying thigmotropism and thigmomorphogenesis because they display a combination of the two processes.Here,we generated the transcriptome profiles of cucumber tendrils at the young,stretch,and coiling stages.Genes related to receptor proteins,transmembrane transport,and ion transport were significantly enriched among those differentially expressed between stages.Pharmacological assays illustrated that three GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR(GLR)genes might play a vital function in perceiving or transducing touch stimulation signals.Comparing the transcriptomes of tendrils and roots after touch stimulation,we found that genes related to extracellular stimulus and xyloglucan metabolism might have conserved functions in the regulation of thigmomorphogenesis.The transcriptome atlas of thigmotropism and thigmomorphogenesis of cucumber tendrils constructed in this study will help further elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind these processes.
文摘Rare genetic variants are abundant in genomes but less tractable in genome-wide association study. Here we exploit a strategy of rare variation mapping to discover a gene essential for tendril development in cucumber （Cucumis sativus L.）. In a collection of 〉3000 lines, we discovered a unique tendril-less line that forms branches instead of tendrils and, therefore, loses its climbing ability. We hypothesized that this unusual phenotype was caused by a rare variation and subsequently identified the causative single nucleotide poly- morphism. The affected gene TEN encodes a TCP transcription factor conserved within the cucurbits and is expressed specifically in tendrils, representing a new organ identity gene. The variation occurs within a pro- tein motif unique to the cucurbits and impairs its function as a transcriptional activator. Analyses of transcrip- tomes from near-isogenic lines identified downstream genes required for the tendril＇s capability to sense and climb a support. This study provides an example to explore rare functional variants in plant genomes.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Fok Ying Dung Education Foundation.
文摘Actins are ubiquitous to all of the known eukaryotic organisms. Since the firstdiscovery of actins in higher plants by Yen et al. in 1960s, the actin research ofhigher plants has been extensively carried out. It has been shown that the actin is animportant part of cytoskeleton, being involved in many important biological processes,
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
文摘Darwin, in his retiring years, conducted long-term studies at home on various modes of the movement of ordinary plant organs and sensitive floral parts, in climbing and twining plants, and in insectivorous plants. His conclusions derived therefrom laid emphasis on the fundamental similarty in irritability between plant and animal species, thereby, Supporting his theory of the biological evolution. Since then, Darwin’s
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
文摘The tendril of luffa (Luffa officinale),in response to various non-injurious and injuriousstimulations,will first give rise to electrochemical transmission including the action wave,variation wave,andwave complex.It is then followed by rapid coiling movement which appears within 25—30 s after stimulation.The coiling process continues for 10 min or more.When it is over,the tendril begins to uncoil itself.Tendrils pretreated with the narcotic drug,ethyl ether fail to response to stimulation entirely.Specific inhibitorsof microfilament,cytochalasins B and D,and of myosin,N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetic acid,are both able toprevent the coiling of tendril,without any effect on the electrical wave transmission.Colchicine,known toinhibit microtubule action,is ineffective in preventing coiling.Acetylcholine is able to provoke the tendril coilingdirectly.The effects of drug pretreatments support the proposal that the electrochemical wave transmission elicitedby stimulation is the forerunner for arousing the rapid movement of the sensitive tendril that the actin and myosinare taking part in.Turgor changes in tendril cells are intimately connected with the transmitted and the motoraction of the compact tissues lining along the more sensitive ventral side of the tendril.As the ventral cellsundergo the abrupt contraction and slightly shrink,the dorsal cells become expanded in coiling.Eventually,turgotresumes normal on both sides when uncoiling occurs.
