Zelinger, E. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2022

The Formation of Biogenic Guanine Crystals Closely Resembles Melanosome Morphogenesis

Animals precisely control the morphology and assembly of highly reflective guanine crystals to produce diverse optical phenomena used in coloration and vision. However, little is known about how organisms regulate crystallization to produce optically useful crystal morphologies which express highly reflective crystal faces. Guanine crystals form inside iridosome vesicles within specialized chromatophore cells called iridophores. By following the formation of iridosomes in developing scallop eyes we show that, despite their different physical properties, the morphogenesis of iridosomes bears a striking resemblance to melanosome morphogenesis in vertebrates. A key finding is that pre-assembled intravesicular fibrillar sheets template crystal nucleation, growth, and orientation, dictating the formation of optically functional, but thermodynamically disfavored plate-like habits. The common control mechanisms for melanin and guanine formation inspire new approaches for manipulating the morphologies and properties of molecular materials.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Sensing stress responses in potato with whole-plant redox imaging

Environmental stresses are among the major factors that limit crop productivity and plant growth. Plant exposure to various abiotic stress, such as drought, cold temperatures, or high light, results in overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To avoid oxidative damage, critical mechanisms for their detoxification have evolved, consisting of ROS-scavenging enzymes and small antioxidant molecules, such as glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate. Thus, monitoring redox changes with high spatial and temporal resolution is critical for understanding oxidative stress signaling and has the potential to enable early detection of stress responses in crop plants. In this work, potato plants ( Solanum tuberosum) expressing a chloroplast-targeted reduction-oxidation-sensitive green fluorescent protein2 (roGFP2) were generated to report the redox potential of the glutathione (EGSH) in the chloroplast stroma. By applying whole-plant fluorescence imaging, we mapped alteration in the chloroplast EGSH under several stress conditions including, high-light, cold and drought. Extremely high increase in chloroplast EGSH was observed under the combination of high-light and low temperatures, conditions that specifically induce PSI photoinhibition. Intriguingly, whole-plant ratiometric imaging analysis noted a higher reduced state in newly developed as compared to mature leaves, suggesting a graded stress sensitivity as part of the plant strategies for coping with stress conditions. The presented observations suggest that whole-plant redox imaging can serve as a powerful tool for the basic understanding of plant stress responses as well as for applied agricultural research, such as improving phenotyping capabilities in breeding programs and early detection of stress responses in the field.

plant biology↗