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Plastids and pathogens: mechanosensitive channels and survival in a hypoosmotic world

Kira M Veley1, Elizabeth S Haswell

  • 1Department of Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA.

Plant Signaling & Behavior
|May 15, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Mechanosensitive channels (MS channels) protect bacterial cells from osmotic lysis. Plant MscS homologs also protect leaf epidermal plastids, revealing a conserved role in osmotic adaptation across diverse environments.

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Plant physiology

Background:

  • Mechanosensitive channels (MS channels) are crucial for bacterial survival under osmotic stress.
  • MscS-type channels are known to prevent cell lysis by releasing cellular contents when cells swell.
  • The presence and function of MS channels in eukaryotic organelles and pathogens are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of MscS homologs in plant plastids.
  • To explore the broader implications of MS channel function in osmotic adaptation.
  • To propose MS channels as a conserved mechanism for managing osmotic challenges.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of MscS homologs in Arabidopsis thaliana.
  • Investigating plastid function under osmotic stress.
  • Bioinformatic analysis of MS channel distribution in various organisms.

Main Results:

  • Two MscS homologs in Arabidopsis thaliana protect leaf epidermal plastids from osmotic lysis.
  • Plant plastids, like bacterial cells, experience dynamic osmotic challenges from the cytoplasm.
  • MscS homologs are predicted in plastid and mitochondrial envelopes and in intracellular pathogens.

Conclusions:

  • MscS-type mechanosensitive channels play a vital role in osmotic adaptation in plant plastids.
  • MS channels are essential for managing osmotic challenges in both intracellular and extracellular environments.
  • This suggests a conserved function of MS channels across bacteria, plants, and pathogens for cellular integrity.

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