Morphological responses and molecular modifications in tomato plants after mechanical stimulation

Study of the growth responses of Lycopersicon esculentum (Mill. cv. VFN8) to mechanical stimulation applied to a single young internode showed a rapid and sharp decrease in stem elongation and an inhibition of elongation of several internodes, indicative of information transmission in the plant. A new tomato cDNA partial clone encoding calmodulin was isolated and used to study the time course of the gene induction in response to the rubbing treatment. Northern blot analysis showed a maximum accumulation of calmodulin mRNA 2 h after mechanical stimulation, not only in the rubbed internode, but also in upper and lower internodes and in young leaves. Treatment of the plant with calcium and EGTA showed the involvement of calcium and, in particular, intracellular calcium in calmodulin gene expression and cellular response.