Osmosensor-mediated control of Ca(2+) spiking in pollen germination. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38778102/)

These scientists wanted to understand how plants are able to sense when they are getting enough water after being dehydrated. They discovered that there are special sensors on the surface of plant cells that can detect changes in the water levels. These sensors are like tiny gates that let in calcium ions, which are important molecules that help cells communicate with each other.

The scientists identified a specific protein called OSCA2.1 that acts as a sensor for water levels in plants. They found that when the water levels around the plant cells changed, this protein would allow calcium ions to flow into the cells, triggering a response that helps the plant know it is getting enough water.

To study this further, the scientists created a way to test these sensors in bacteria and found that OSCA2.1 and another protein called OSCA2.2 were important for controlling calcium levels in plant cells. They also discovered that these proteins were crucial for pollen germination, which is how plants reproduce.

Overall, this study showed that these special sensors on plant cells play a key role in helping plants know when they are getting enough water, which is important for their survival and growth.

Pei S., Tao Q., Li W., Qi G., Wang B., Wang Y., Dai S., Shen Q., Wang X., Wu X., Xu S., Theprungsirikul L., Zhang J., Liang L., Liu Y., Chen K., Shen Y., Crawford BM., Cheng M., Zhang Q., Wang Y., Liu H., Yang B., Krichilsky B., Pei J., Song K., Johnson DM., Jiang Z., Wu F., Swift GB., Yang H., Liu Z., Zou X., Vo-Dinh T., Liu F., Pei ZM., Yuan F. Osmosensor-mediated control of Ca(2+) spiking in pollen germination. Nature. 2024 May 22. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07445-6.