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Real-time Imaging of Plant Cell Surface Dynamics with Variable-angle Epifluorescence Microscopy
Published on: December 12, 2015
Nanosecond electric pulses trigger actin responses in plant cells
Thomas Berghöfer1, Christian Eing, Bianca Flickinger
1Institute for Pulsed Power and Microwave Technology (IHM), Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
Abstract:
We have analyzed the cellular effects of nanosecond pulsed electrical fields on plant cells using fluorescently tagged marker lines in the tobacco cell line BY-2 and confocal laser scanning microscopy. We observe a disintegration of the cytoskeleton in the cell cortex, followed by contraction of actin filaments towards the nucleus, and disintegration of the nuclear envelope. These responses are accompanied by irreversible permeabilization of the plasma membrane manifest as uptake of Trypan Blue. By pretreatment with the actin-stabilizing drug phalloidin, the detachment of transvacuolar actin from the cell periphery can be suppressed, and this treatment can also suppress the irreversible perforation of the plasma membrane. We discuss these findings in terms of a model, where nanosecond pulsed electric fields trigger actin responses that are key events in the plant-specific form of programmed cell death.
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