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Cholodny–Went revisited: a role for jasmonate in gravitropism of rice coleoptiles

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Abstract

Gravitropism is explained by the Cholodny–Went hypothesis: the basipetal flow of auxin is diverted laterally. The resulting lateral auxin gradient triggers asymmetric growth. However, the Cholodny–Went hypothesis has been questioned repeatedly because the internal auxin gradient is too small to account for the observed growth asymmetry. Therefore, an additional gradient in indolyl-3-acetic acid (IAA) sensitivity has been suggested (Brauner and Hager in Planta 51:115–147, 1958). We challenged the Cholodny–Went hypothesis for gravitropism of rice coleoptiles (Oryza sativa L.) and found it to be essentially true. However, we observed, additionally, that the two halves of gravitropically stimulated coleoptiles responded differentially to the same amount of exogenous auxin: the auxin response is reduced in the upper flank but normal in the lower flank. This indicates that the auxin-gradient is amplified by a gradient of auxin responsiveness. Hormone contents were measured across the coleoptile by a GC-MS/MS technique and a gradient of jasmonate was detected opposing the auxin gradient. Furthermore, the total content of jasmonate increased during the gravitropic response. Jasmonate gradient and increase persist even when the lateral IAA gradient is inhibited by 1-N-naphtylphtalamic acid. Flooding with jasmonate delays the onset of gravitropic bending. Moreover, a jasmonate-deficient rice mutant bends more slowly and later than the wild type. We discuss a role of jasmonate as modulator of auxin responsiveness in gravitropism.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscicic acid

DMSO:

Di-methyl-sulfoxide

FW:

Fresh weight

GC-MS-MS:

Gas chromatography linked bidimensional mass spectrometry

IAA:

Indole-3-acetic-acid

JA:

Jasmonate

Me-JA:

Methyl jasmonate

2,5-NBD:

2,5-Norbornadien

NPA:

1-N-naphtylphtalamic acid

OPDA:

o-Phytodienoic acid

OPR:

o-Phytodienoic acid reductase

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Acknowledgements

NPA was synthesized and kindly provided by Dr. Wolfgang Michalke (Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg). The authors would like to thank Dr. Christina Süßlin for experimental support, Dr. Osamu Yatou (Hokuriku National Agricultural Experiment Station, Niigata, Japan) for providing seed material and Dr. Gerd Leubner (Albert-Ludwigs-Universtiät Freiburg) for a kind gift of 2,5-NBD. The study was supported partially by grants from the Forschungsschwerpunkt “Molekulare Analyse der Phytohormonwirkung” of the DFG to E.W. and P.N, a grant from the Volkswagen-Foundation Nachwuchsgruppen-Programme to P.N., and a partial grant of the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes to C.G..

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Biologie II, Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, 79104, Freiburg i. Br., Germany

    Caroline Gutjahr & Michael Riemann

  2. Lehrstuhl für Pflanzenphysiologie, Fakultät für Biologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany

    Axel Müller, Petra Düchting & Elmar W. Weiler

  3. Botanisches Institut 1, Universität Karlsruhe, Kaiserstr. 2, 76128, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Peter Nick

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  1. Caroline Gutjahr
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  2. Michael Riemann
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  3. Axel Müller
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  6. Peter Nick
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Correspondence to Peter Nick.

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Gutjahr, C., Riemann, M., Müller, A. et al. Cholodny–Went revisited: a role for jasmonate in gravitropism of rice coleoptiles. Planta 222, 575–585 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-005-0001-6

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