Proteins Making up Plant “Touch Responsive” Channels

Scientists from the Washington University in St. Louis have identified two proteins integral to the function of mechanosensitive ion channels in plant roots. As the name suggests, these channels, which regulate the entry and exit of ions (such as potassium and calcium) in plant cells, respond to physical forces such as touch, gravity or pressure. Although researchers have been characterizing mechanosensitive channels for the past 20 years, this is the first time that anybody has been able to identify the proteins responsible for these activities.

The team led by Elizabeth Haswell identified the proteins MSL9 and MSL10 using Arabidopsis knock-down mutants. The proteins were named MSL because of their similarity to a family of bacterial channels known as MscS. The researchers also found out that both proteins are required to produce the mechanosensitive channel activity in plant roots. Haswell and her colleagues suggest that the channel is composed of MSL9 and MSL10 subunits and that this combined structure results in the unique mechanosensitive ion channel behavior.

The complete article is available at http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/11825.html Read the abstract of the paper published by Current Biology at http://www.current-biology.com/content/article/abstract?uid=PIIS0960982208005253&feed=CURBIO