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Directional gravity sensing in gravitropism.

Miyo Terao Morita¹

¹Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara, Japan. mimorita@bs.naist.jp

Annual Review of Plant Biology

|January 21, 2009

Summary

Plants sense gravity through amyloplast movement within specialized cells, a process crucial for directional growth (gravitropism). This review explores how plastids, not just starch, act as statoliths, detailing their dynamic movement and signaling roles in roots and shoots.

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Area of Science:

Plant biology
Cell biology
Biophysics

Background:

Gravitropism enables plants to reorient growth relative to gravity.
The starch statolith hypothesis posits amyloplast movement triggers gravity sensing.
Amyloplasts, plastids containing starch, are considered key gravity sensors (statoliths).

Purpose of the Study:

To review current knowledge on plant gravity sensing mechanisms.
To explore factors influencing amyloplast function in gravity perception.
To highlight differences and commonalities in root and shoot gravitropism.

Main Methods:

Review of genetic and cell biological studies.
Analysis of amyloplast dynamics and intracellular signaling.
Comparative examination of root and shoot statocyte properties.

Main Results:

Starch is important but not essential for gravity sensing.
Amyloplasts exhibit dynamic movement involving vacuolar membranes and actin cytoskeleton.
Significant cytological and functional differences exist between root and shoot statocytes.

Conclusions:

Amyloplasts are dynamic statoliths crucial for plant gravitropism.
Intracellular mechanisms involving the cytoskeleton and vacuole modulate amyloplast function.
Despite differences, a common theme underlies directional gravity sensing in plant roots and shoots.