The 55th NIBB Conference
Frontiers of Plant Science in the 21st CenturyConference Review |
Reports |
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Report on the Panel Discussion
7. Plant biosensor systems
Jose M. Perez-Perez (Universidad Miguel Hernandez, Spain) Plants are instrumental in sustaining complex life on Earth. Although sessile and lacking a nervous system, plants actively interact with their environment and modify their behavior accordingly. From genetics, physiology, and molecular studies, the interactions of plants with physical (e.g., light, temperature, humidity, nutrients, soil and air characteristics) and biological factors are being revealed. Hormones are the signals used by plants to translate environmental information into specific responses. Furthermore, gene signaling networks for several of these interactions have been built, although cross talk between them is mostly unknown. To fully understand plant adaptive behavior and responses, a Systems Biology approach is required. I would like to discuss how to set up transnational collaborations on this topic.
Plant species have been used as indicators of adverse environmental factors (e.g., heavy metal pollution, volatile organic contaminants, mutagenic effects, pathogen attack, saline stress). In theory, any gene regulatory network can be assembled from simple genetic components to produce activities that have been designed a la carte. I comment here on state-of-the art plant biosensors and their uses.  ≫ Audience comments and questions |
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