RESEARCH: Mechanisms and evolution of plant movement (1) Seismonastic movement of Mimoza pudica
Dr. Hiroaki Mano Graduate students are welcome to join.
The sensitive plant Mimosa pudica has long attracted the interest of researchers due to its spectacular leaf movements in response to touch or other external stimuli. Although various aspects of the seismonastic movement have been elucidated by histological, physiological, biochemical, and behavioral approaches, the lack of reverse genetic tools has hampered the investigation of molecular mechanisms involved in these processes. To overcome this obstacle, we developed an efficient genetic transformation method for M. pudica (Mano et al. 2014 PLoS ONE). This new technique is currently applied for live imaging of actin cytoskeleton and calcium dynamics, both of which participate in the seismonastic movement through as-yet-unidentified mechanisms. Our transgenic technique also enabled us to develop a CRISPR/Cas-mediated gene knock-out system in this species. To investigate adaptive meanings of the seismonastic movement, we now try to produce immotile mutants using the CRISPR/Cas system.
Movement of Mimoza pudica
