Understanding the mechanism of gravity resistance in plants: Roles of actin filaments in regulation of cell shape

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25514005
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 宇宙生命学
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: SOGA Kouichi 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 准教授 (00336760)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HOSON Takayuki 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 教授 (70135771) ; WAKABAYASHI Kazuyuki 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 准教授 (10220831)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 抗重力反応 / 過重力 / アクチン繊維 / 表層微小管

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Elongation growth was inhibited and lateral expansion was promoted by increasing the gravitational force in the epidermal cells of azuki bean epicotyls and Arabidopsis hypocotyls. Hypergravity modified the angles between filaments in radially distributed actin filaments of both seedlings. Also, the percentage of cells with thick actin filaments was increased under hypergravity conditions. When actin filaments were disrupted, effects of hypergravity on the modification of cell shape were reduced. Thus, changes in the dynamics of actin filaments may be involved in the regulation by gravity of growth anisotropy of shoot organs.

Free Research Field

宇宙植物学