Related Concept Videos
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...
02:12Short-distance Transport of Resources
Short-distance transport refers to transport that occurs over a distance of just 2-3 cells, crossing the plasma membrane in the process. Small uncharged molecules, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, can diffuse across the plasma membrane on their own. In contrast, ions and larger molecules require the assistance of transport proteins due to their charge or size. Transport across membranes also occurs within individual cells, playing a variety of essential roles for the plant as a whole.
02:45Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses
The circadian—or biological—clock is an intrinsic, timekeeping, molecular mechanism that allows plants to coordinate physiological activities over 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Photoperiodism is a collective term for the biological responses of plants to variations in the relative lengths of dark and light periods. The period of light-exposure is called the photoperiod.
02:36Meristems and Plant Growth
Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.
01:19Contact-dependent Signaling
Contact-dependent signaling, as the name suggests, requires that communicating cells be in direct contact with each other. This is achieved either through receptor-ligand interactions or by specialized cytoplasmic channels that allow the flow of small molecules between cells. In animal cells, channels called gap junctions facilitate contact-dependent signaling in certain tissues, whereas, plasmodesmata perform a similar function in plants.
Gap Junctions
In animal cells, gap junctions are formed...
Gap Junctions
In animal cells, gap junctions are formed...
02:19Morphogenesis
Plant morphogenesis—the development of a plant’s form and structure—involves several overlapping developmental processes, including growth and cell differentiation. Precursor cells differentiate into specific cell types, which are organized into the tissues and organ systems that make up the functional plant.
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Spatiotemporal signalling in plant development.
Erin Sparks1, Guy Wachsman, Philip N Benfey
11] Department of Biology and Center for Systems Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA. [2].
Nature Reviews. Genetics
|August 17, 2013
Summary
Plants utilize sophisticated signaling mechanisms, including phytohormones and peptides, for internal communication and development. This review explores recent advances in understanding these plant signaling networks and their evolutionary context.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Plants, as sessile organisms, require robust signaling to adapt to environmental changes.
- Plant development is regulated by diverse signaling molecules, ranging from long-distance phytohormones to local peptides and small RNAs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in plant signaling mechanisms.
- To discuss the integration of signaling networks with gene regulatory networks in plant development.
- To explore the evolutionary context of plant signaling.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent research on plant signaling.
- Analysis of different classes of signaling molecules (phytohormones, peptides, transcription factors, small RNAs).
- Integration of signaling networks with gene regulatory networks.
Main Results:
- Recent advances have deepened our understanding of plant signaling pathways.
- Signaling networks are intricately linked with gene regulatory networks to control plant development.
- Evolutionary pressures have shaped plant signaling mechanisms based on their lifestyle.
Conclusions:
- Plant signaling is crucial for development and environmental response.
- Understanding these mechanisms provides insights into plant adaptation and evolution.
- Future research can further elucidate the interplay between signaling and gene regulation.