Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2025
05:22
Identification of the Genes Involved in Stomatal Development via Epidermal Phenotype Scoring
Published on: January 20, 2023
1.7K
REGULATOR OF FLOWERING AND STRESS manipulates stomatal density and size in Brachypodium
Sheng Ying1, Wolf-Rüdiger Scheible1
1Noble Research Institute LLC, Ardmore, Oklahoma, USA.
Physiologia Plantarum
|October 26, 2023
Summary
The Brachypodium RFS gene regulates stomatal density and size, enhancing plant biomass and water content. This discovery offers a new avenue for developing climate-resilient crops through genetic engineering.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Genetics
- Crop science
Background:
- Stomata regulate gas exchange and water loss, with environmental factors influencing their density and size.
- While stomatal development is understood, regulators of stress-induced changes in stomatal traits remain largely unknown.
- The stress-inducible Brachypodium RFS gene enhances drought tolerance by reducing water loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Brachypodium RFS (BdRFS) in regulating stomatal development and plant water relations.
- To determine if BdRFS acts as a stress-responsive regulator of stomatal density (SD) and stomatal size (SS).
Main Methods:
- Generation of Brachypodium RFS overexpression (OX) lines and CRISPR/Cas9 knockout (KO) mutants.
- Analysis of stomatal density, stomatal size, biomass, and plant water content in OX and KO lines.
- Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to assess gene expression, including BdICE1.
Main Results:
- BdRFS OX lines showed reduced SD and increased SS, irrespective of soil water conditions.
- BdRFS OX lines exhibited significantly increased biomass and plant water content compared to wild type.
- BdRFS KO mutants displayed opposite stomatal characteristics and biomass changes, with altered BdICE1 expression.
Conclusions:
- Brachypodium RFS is identified as a novel regulator of stomatal density and size.
- RFS plays a significant role in plant biomass and water content regulation.
- RFS is a promising candidate gene for genetic engineering to improve crop resilience to climate change.
Related Concept Videos
02:04Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
28.3K
During photosynthesis, plants acquire the necessary carbon dioxide and release the produced oxygen back into the atmosphere. Openings in the epidermis of plant leaves is the site of this exchange of gasses. A single opening is called a stoma—derived from the Greek word for “mouth.” Stomata open and close in response to a variety of environmental cues.
28.3K
02:12Short-distance Transport of Resources
16.1K
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.
16.1K
01:57Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
25.6K
Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
25.6K
02:41Responses to Drought and Flooding
10.7K
Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
10.7K
02:45Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
13.5K
Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.
13.5K
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
5.6K
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...
5.6K