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Gravitropism in roots of intermediate-starch mutants of ArabidopsisGravitropism was studied in roots of wild type (WT) Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. (strain Wassilewskija) and three starch-deficient mutants that were generated by T-DNA insertional mutagenesis. One of these mutants was starchless while the other two were intermediate mutants, which had 51% and 60%, respectively, of the WT amount of starch as determined by light and electron microscopy. The four parameters used to assay gravitropism were: orientation during vertical growth, time course of curvature, induction, and intermittent stimulation experiments. WT roots were much more responsive to gravity than were roots of the starchless mutant, and the intermediate starch mutants exhibited an intermediate graviresponse. Our data suggest that lowered starch content in the mutants primarily affects gravitropism rather than differential growth because both phototropic curvature and growth rates were approximately equal among all four genotypes. Since responses of intermediate-starch mutants were closer to the WT response than to the starchless mutant, it appears that 51-60% of the WT level of starch is near the threshold amount needed for full gravitropic sensitivity. While other interpretations are possible, the data are consistent with the starch statolith hypothesis for gravity perception in that the degree of graviresponsiveness is proportional to the total mass of plastids per cell.
Document ID
20040089783
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Kiss, J. Z.
(Miami University Oxford, OH 45056, United States)
Wright, J. B.
Caspar, T.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1996
Publication Information
Publication: Physiologia plantarum
Volume: 97
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0031-9317
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG2-1017
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-3783
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Program Space Biology
NASA Discipline Number 40-50
NASA Discipline Plant Biology
Non-NASA Center

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