Describe the concentration difference of Ca2+ across the plant cell
What are the different ways to measure [Ca2+]? (4)
Describe the function of aequorin as a Ca2+ indicator
What are the positives and negatives of using aequorin?
Positives
- Non-invasive
- Wide calcium detection range
- Quantitative measure
- Low background signal
- Low phototoxicity, doesn’t require external excitation
Negatives
- Irreversible (use once)
- Lower sensititivity
What are the adv and disadvantages of using electrophysiology to measure [Ca2+]?
Adv
- Direct measurements of Ca currents are taken as channels are being measured
Disadv
- Difficult to accurately place the electrodes in the cell
- Takes time to reach resting potentials
- Invasive and disruptive
Describe the function of Ca2+ indicators
What are advantages and disadvantages of calcium indicators?
Adv
- Real time monitoring
- High sensitivity
- Non- invasive
- Versatile
Disadvantages
- Phototoxicity + Photobleaching
- Background noise
- Interference with functions e.g. high conc of Ca2+ buffer will reduce signal strength etc.
Compare Calcium Green and Fura-2
Describe the structure and function of CAMELEONs
CFP - cyan fluorescent protein
YFP - yellow fluorescent protein
CaM - calmodulin (binds to Ca2+)
M13 - peptide that binds to CaM in the presence of Ca2+
- Presence of calcium leads to binding of CaM and M13, bringing YFP closer to CFP leading to different wavelengths being released. Instead of cyan it is yellow
Describe the structure and function of GCaMP
What are the 6 different plant hormones and their roles?
Auxin - cell elongation, apical dominance
Gibberellins - stem elongation
Cytokinins - cell division (Active form as tZR), leaf senescence
Brassinosteroids - cell elongation and division
ABA - stress response
Strigolactones - microbial signalling
What is cross-talk?
Overlap between two different signals, that converge at a node and generate an integrated response
What is the meaning of ectopic expression?
Expression of a gene where it isn’t normally found e.g. not in roots or shoots
Or expression in a different species
- Used to show similarities and function of the gene
What are the characteristics of signalling networks?
How do proteins transfer information?
What are the characteristics of the components (receptors etc.) in the signalling pathway?
Give an example of cross-talk and sharing of co-factors
What is the scaffold hypothesis?
Give examples of positive and negative feedback loops with FLS2
Positive
- flg22 binds and activates FLS2 which activates WRKY22/29 to activate their own production
- FLS2 initiates MAPK pathway, increasing SA which enhances expression of FLS2
Negative
- Activation of negative regulatoes, targeting FLS2 for ubiquitination leading to endocytosis. Preventing excessive energy expediture or autoimmunity
- Or ABA increasing NO production which then deactivate ABA receptors
What are the causes for [Ca2+] cyt increase?
What experiments can be done to find out where Ca2+ is derived from?
How can specificity be generated in Ca2+ signals?
What Ca2+ changes occur in chloroplasts?
What evidence is there that nuclear Ca2+ changes differ to cytosolic Ca2+ changes?
Addition of oomycete PAMP (cryptogein) leads to slower increase in Ca2+ in nucleus, compared to the cytosol
- Nuclear Ca2+ oscillations can occur independent of cytosolic oscillations, indicating distinction between the two
- Another reasoning for differences, is that the nucleus Ca2+ changes have an effect on gene expression, while cytosolic changes have an effect on ion movements