Gradient Mechanical Properties Facilitate Arabidopsis Trichome as Mechanosensor

It has been reported that Arabidopsis thaliana leaf trichome can act as a mechanosensory switch, transducing mechanical stimuli into physiological signals, mainly through a buckling instability to focus external force (e.g., exerted by insects) on the base of trichome. The material and structural properties of trichomes remain largely unknown in this buckling instability. In this report, we mainly focused on material standpoint to explore the possible mechanism facilitating the buckling instability. We observed that the Young's modulus of trichome cell wall decreased gradually from branch to the base region of trichome. Interestingly, we also found a corresponding decline of calcium concentration on the trichome cell wall. Results of finite element method (FEM) simulation suggested that such a gradient distribution of Young's modulus significantly promotes force focusing and buckling instability on the base of trichome. It is indicated that Arabidopsis trichome has developed into an active mechanosensor benefiting from gradient cell wall mechanical properties.