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Imaging Metabolic Flow of Water in Plants with Isotope-Traced Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy
Simin Bi1, Jianpeng Ao1, Ting Jiang2
1State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Academy for Engineering and Technology, Human Phenome Institute, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metasurfaces for Light Manipulation, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy visualizes how deuterated water (D2O) fuels plant metabolism, tracking proton transfer and C-D bond formation in biomolecules. This technique reveals dynamic metabolic pathways and nutrient flow in plants.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Biochemistry
- Microscopy
Background:
- Water is crucial for plant life cycles, involved in essential biochemical reactions.
- Understanding water's metabolic role requires high spatiotemporal resolution visualization.
- Current methods lack the precision to track water's metabolic fate in plants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy for visualizing deuterated water (D2O) metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana.
- To investigate the formation of C-D bonds in newly synthesized biomolecules as indicators of water metabolism.
- To quantify spatial and temporal metabolic activities within plants.
Main Methods:
- Utilized stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy.
- Administered deuterated water (D2O) to Arabidopsis thaliana.
- Analyzed the formation of C-D bonds in lipids, proteins, and polysaccharides.
- Quantified metabolic activity along plant axes and cross-sections.
- Visualized proton flow from plants to aphids.
Main Results:
- SRS microscopy successfully detected C-D bonds in newly synthesized biomolecules, indicating proton transfer from D2O.
- Reversible oil-starch conversion pathways during plant development were confirmed.
- Spatial metabolic heterogeneity was quantified in roots, stems, and meristems.
- Radial distribution of secondary growth was analyzed.
- Metabolic proton flow to aphids was visualized.
Conclusions:
- SRS microscopy offers a powerful tool for high-resolution visualization of water metabolism in plants.
- The technique can trace diverse matter flows, including carbon storage and nutrient metabolism.
- This approach enhances our understanding of plant physiological processes and inter-organismal nutrient transfer.
