SUGAR-BEET GUARD-CELL PROTOPLASTS DEMONSTRATE A REMARKABLE CAPACITY FOR CELL-DIVISION ENABLING APPLICATIONS IN STOMATAL PHYSIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BREEDING

Citation
Rd. Hall et al., SUGAR-BEET GUARD-CELL PROTOPLASTS DEMONSTRATE A REMARKABLE CAPACITY FOR CELL-DIVISION ENABLING APPLICATIONS IN STOMATAL PHYSIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BREEDING, Journal of Experimental Botany, 48(307), 1997, pp. 255-263
Citations number
39
Categorie Soggetti
Plant Sciences
ISSN journal
00220957
Volume
48
Issue
307
Year of publication
1997
Pages
255 - 263
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-0957(1997)48:307<255:SGPDAR>2.0.ZU;2-I
Abstract
A highly-efficient protocol for the large-scale isolation of guard cel l protoplasts from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) has been developed, O ptimization of conditions for culturing these protoplasts resulted in extensive cell division and colony formation, at frequencies exceeding 50%. Plants can subsequently be regenerated from these guard cell-der ived colonies, This provides definitive confirmation that, in sugar be et leaf protoplast populations, only guard cells are the source of tot ipotent protoplasts. These findings are the outcome of a directed, non -empirical approach to overcoming plant cell recalcitrance which was i nitiated by exploiting computer-assisted microscopy to couple in vitro response to cell origin, The results reaffirm the conclusion that, in plants, extreme degrees of cytodifferentiation need not entail termin al specialization, The responsive nature of this system can be ascribe d to the unique use of cultures essentially comprising a single in viv o cell type. A uniform model system has thus been created with potenti al for widespread application, Their distinct morphological (and mecha nical) features make guard cells a valuable choice for studying Variou s fundamental aspects, not only of stomatal physiology, but also of pl ant cell (de)differentiation, differential gene expression etc. Furthe rmore, an applied value for such a system can also be envisaged. Resul ts indicate that these cells are highly amenable to genetic manipulati on techniques, The importance of these observations to our understandi ng of plant cell function and behaviour is discussed.