Abstract
The role of intercellular signals in plant development was investigated using phytochrome-induced formation of anthocyanin in cotyledons of white mustard as a model system. The problem was approached by irradiating different subregions of the cotyledon with a microbeam. This technique was combined with in situ hybridization of chalcone synthase mRNA after irradiation of the entire cotyledon. Individual cells that exhibited all-or-none responses with a resultant stochastic, patchy pattern were examined during early stages of anthocyanin synthesis. It was demonstrated that the responses of individual cells were subsequently integrated by long-range inhibitory signals. This process led to ordered and gradually developing patterns that could be detected when final stages were analyzed at the whole-organ level. The significance of these findings is discussed in terms of efforts toward a general understanding of photomorphogenesis in plants.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.9 MB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Gierer A., Berking S., Bode H., David C. N., Flick K., Hansmann G., Schaller H., Trenkner E. Regeneration of hydra from reaggregated cells. Nat New Biol. 1972 Sep 27;239(91):98–101. doi: 10.1038/newbio239098a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gierer A. Generation of biological patterns and form: some physical, mathematical, and logical aspects. Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 1981;37(1):1–47. doi: 10.1016/0079-6107(82)90019-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nick P., Schafer E. Induction of transverse polarity by blue light: an all-or-none response. Planta. 1991 Oct;185(3):415–424. doi: 10.1007/BF00201066. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nick P., Schäfer E., Furuya M. Auxin Redistribution during First Positive Phototropism in Corn Coleoptiles : Microtubule Reorientation and the Cholodny-Went Theory. Plant Physiol. 1992 Aug;99(4):1302–1308. doi: 10.1104/pp.99.4.1302. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Schmelzer E., Jahnen W., Hahlbrock K. In situ localization of light-induced chalcone synthase mRNA, chalcone synthase, and flavonoid end products in epidermal cells of parsley leaves. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 May;85(9):2989–2993. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.9.2989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]