Plant scientists reveal new model how plant cells communicate

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Researchers have identified a new type of communication between plant cells, according to the US study published on Thursday in the journal Science.

The study, led by University of Maryland (UMD) researchers, has shown proteins of many plant cells, resemble glutamate receptors which help to relay nerve signals from one neuron to another in animals.

Plants use these proteins to orchestrate mating, dictate growth patterns and trigger defense mechanisms.

P‍ollination /VCG Photo

Researchers experimented with Arabidopsis thaliana pollen cells and found that GLRs relied on another group of proteins, called "cornichon" proteins, to shuttle GLRs to different locations and regulate GLR activity within each cell.

With the help of cornichon proteins, GLRs act as valves that carefully manage the concentration of calcium ions, a vital aspect of many cell communication pathways within various structures inside the cell, the study found.

"Calcium concentration is one of the most important parameters inside all cells. It is so well regulated that it allows cells to encode information. Put another way, calcium is the lingua franca of cell communication," said Jose Feijo, a professor of cell biology and molecular genetics at UMD and the senior author of the study.

The similarities between GLRs and animal glutamate receptors suggest that the proteins date back to a common ancestor or a single-celled organism that gave rise to both animals and plants.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency