Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026
10:29
Measuring Gene Expression in Bombarded Barley Aleurone Layers with Increased Throughput
Published on: March 30, 2018
Accession-dependent action potentials in Arabidopsis
Patrick Favre1, Hubert Greppin, Robert Degli Agosti
1Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Plant Physiomatics, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Journal of Plant Physiology
|November 30, 2010
Summary
Plant excitability, measured by action potentials (APs), varies genetically between Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. Columbia (Col) plants showed the highest excitability, indicating a genetic basis for AP responses to stress.
Area of Science:
- Plant Physiology
- Molecular Genetics
- Plant Neurobiology
Background:
- Plant excitability, involving action potentials (APs), is a less understood phenomenon compared to animals.
- Investigating the genetic underpinnings of plant APs is crucial for understanding stress responses.
- Arabidopsis thaliana offers a model system to explore genetic variations in plant excitability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic basis of plant excitability using different Arabidopsis thaliana accessions.
- To quantify and compare action potential (AP) responses to wounding and KCl deposition across accessions.
Main Methods:
- Applied a wounding and KCl deposition (W & D) treatment to adult leaves of three Arabidopsis thaliana accessions: Columbia (Col), Wassilewskija (Ws), and Landsberg erecta (Ler).
- Detected transient voltage responses (action potentials) using extracellular electrodes placed at distinct leaf locations.
- Analyzed AP characteristics including number, duration, propagation speed, and self-sustained oscillations.
Main Results:
- All accessions (Col, Ws, Ler) exhibited APs in response to W & D treatment, with varying frequencies.
- Columbia (Col) displayed the highest number of APs and frequency of self-sustained oscillations, indicating greater excitability.
- While AP amplitude and propagation speed were consistent, AP duration differed between Ler and the other accessions.
Conclusions:
- Plant excitability, specifically AP responses to stress, is significantly influenced by genetic factors in Arabidopsis thaliana.
- The Columbia (Col) accession demonstrates a genetically pre-determined higher level of excitability compared to Ws and Ler.
- This study establishes a genetic basis for action potential phenomena in plants, opening avenues for further research.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Action Potential
Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
01:41Action Potentials
Overview
01:27C4 Pathway and CAM
Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
01:23Propagation of Action Potentials
The propagation of an action potential refers to the process by which a nerve impulse, or "action potential," travels along a neuron.
Neurons (nerve cells) have a resting membrane potential, with a slightly negative charge inside compared to outside. This is maintained by ion channels, such as sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels, which control the flow of ions. When a stimulus, like a touch or a signal from another neuron, triggers the neuron, sodium channels open, allowing sodium ions to...
Neurons (nerve cells) have a resting membrane potential, with a slightly negative charge inside compared to outside. This is maintained by ion channels, such as sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels, which control the flow of ions. When a stimulus, like a touch or a signal from another neuron, triggers the neuron, sodium channels open, allowing sodium ions to...
01:28Action Potential: Phases of Stimulation
The action potential is a complex electrical event that occurs in excitable cells, such as neurons and muscle cells. It consists of several distinct phases, each with specific characteristics.
Resting Phase:
In this phase, the cell's membrane is at its resting potential, typically around -70 millivolts (mV) for neurons. Inside the cell, there is a higher concentration of potassium ions (K+) and a lower concentration of sodium ions (Na+). Voltage-gated sodium channels are closed, and...
Resting Phase:
In this phase, the cell's membrane is at its resting potential, typically around -70 millivolts (mV) for neurons. Inside the cell, there is a higher concentration of potassium ions (K+) and a lower concentration of sodium ions (Na+). Voltage-gated sodium channels are closed, and...