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Microscopy and chemical analyses reveal flavone-based woolly fibres extrude from micron-sized holes in glandular trichomes of Dionysia tapetodes

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Bourdon, Matthieu 
Gaynord, Josephine 
Müller, Karin H. 
Evans, Gareth 
Wallis, Simon 

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Dionysia tapetodes, a small cushion-forming mountainous evergreen in the Primulaceae, possesses a vast surface-covering of long silky fibres forming the characteristic “woolly” farina. This contrasts with some related Primula which instead form a fine powder. Farina is formed by specialized cellular factories, a type of glandular trichome, but the precise composition of the fibres and how it exits the cell is poorly understood. Here, using a combination of cell biology (electron and light microscopy) and analytical chemical techniques, we present the principal chemical components of the wool and its mechanism of exit from the glandular trichome. Results: We show the woolly farina consists of micron-diameter fibres formed from a mixture of flavone and substituted flavone derivatives. This contrasts with the powdery farina, consisting almost entirely of flavone. The woolly farina in D. tapetodes is extruded through specific sites at the surface of the trichome’s glandular head cell, characterised by a small complete gap in the plasma membrane, cell wall and cuticle and forming a tight seal between the fibre and hole. The data is consistent with formation and thread elongation occurring from within the cell. Conclusions: Our results suggest the composition of the D. tapetodes farina dictates its formation as wool rather than powder, consistent with a model of thread integrity relying on intermolecular H-bonding. Glandular trichomes produce multiple wool fibres by concentrating and maintaining their extrusion at specific sites at the cell cortex of the head cell. As the wool is extensive across the plant, there may be associated selection pressures attributed to living at high altitudes.

Description

Funder: Gatsby Charitable Foundation; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000324


Funder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000266


Funder: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000268


Funder: AstraZeneca; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100004325

Keywords

Research Article, Biochemistry and physiology, Cell wall, Dionysia, Farina, Flavone, Glandular trichome, Hydroxyflavone, Vacuole, Wool

Journal Title

BMC Plant Biology

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1471-2229

Volume Title

21

Publisher

BioMed Central