Mechanosensitivity below Ground: Touch-Sensitive Smell-Producing Roots in the Shy Plant Mimosa pudica
Rabi A Musah1, Ashton D Lesiak2, Max J Maron2
1Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York 12222 (R.A.M., A.D.L., M.J.M., K.L.F., M.C.L.); andJEOL USA, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts 01960 (R.B.C., D.E., A.J.D.) rmusah@albany.edu.
Plant Physiology
|December 15, 2015
Summary
The shy plant Mimosa pudica emits unique sulfur compounds from its roots when disturbed. This mechanosensitive response, involving specific root structures, releases detectable odors.
Area of Science:
- Plant Science
- Biochemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Mimosa pudica, known as the 'shy plant', exhibits unique responses to stimuli.
- Plant root exudates play crucial roles in plant-environment interactions.
- The chemical composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by plants is diverse and context-dependent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize the volatile sulfur compounds emitted by Mimosa pudica roots upon mechanical stimulation.
- To investigate the mechanosensitive nature of the odor emission response.
- To explore the structural and elemental basis of this phenomenon in Mimosa pudica roots.
Main Methods:
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for volatile compound identification.
- Light and electron microscopy for root structure analysis.
- Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for elemental composition of root protuberances.
Main Results:
- Identification of a complex mixture of organic and inorganic sulfur compounds, including novel thioformaldehyde emission.
- Selective odor emission triggered by touch with soil or skin, but not inert materials like glass.
- Discovery of sac-like root protuberances with high K(+) and Cl(-) content, which decreased upon stimulation.
Conclusions:
- Mimosa pudica roots possess a specialized mechanosensitive system for emitting a unique blend of sulfur compounds.
- The observed ion fluxes in root protuberances are linked to the stimulus-induced odor release.
- This study reveals a previously unreported plant emission and sheds light on its biochemical and structural underpinnings.
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