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Decoding the Secretory Structure in Plants: From Biology to Interaction...
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Decoding the Secretory Structure in Plants: From Biology to Interaction Networks

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Cell Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 4802

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Elder Antônio Sousa Paiva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
Interests: plant anatomy; plant-animal interactions; secretory structures; plant cell biology; plant secretions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The ability to synthesize different substances that have accumulated in intracellular compartments or are thrown out of the protoplast is a remarkable characteristic of plant cells. Considering the great diversity of the substances produced, the secretory activity in plants comprises the synthesis of a vast range of elements that perform structural functions that mediate the most diverse biotic and abiotic interactions. The study of secretory processes in plants has advanced significantly in recent years, revealing a complex network of interactions and stimulating areas of scientific knowledge as diverse as the chemistry of natural products, ecology, plant structure, cell biology, and others.

Considering the immense diversity of plants and the under-sampling that we know concerning secretory structures, we are sure there is still an unknown world to be unveiled.

An issue of Plants dedicated to this subject will focus on bringing together a diverse and enthusiastic group of researchers as an idea that deserves everyone's attention. Therefore, articles focusing on plant secretory systems are welcome in this Special Issue. 

Join us by submitting your manuscript!

Prof. Dr. Elder Antônio Sousa Paiva
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biology of plant secretion
  • evolution of plant glands
  • exocytosis
  • plant–animal interactions
  • plant–environment interactions
  • secretory cell

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 11824 KiB  
Article
Updating the Knowledge on the Secretory Machinery of Hops (Humulus lupulus L., Cannabaceae)
by Felipe Paulino Ramos, Lucas Iwamoto, Vítor Hélio Piva and Simone Pádua Teixeira
Plants 2024, 13(6), 864; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060864 - 17 Mar 2024
Viewed by 647
Abstract
Cannabaceae species garner attention in plant research due to their diverse secretory structures and pharmacological potential associated with the production of secondary metabolites. This study aims to update our understanding of the secretory system in Hops (Humulus lupulus L.), an economically important [...] Read more.
Cannabaceae species garner attention in plant research due to their diverse secretory structures and pharmacological potential associated with the production of secondary metabolites. This study aims to update our understanding of the secretory system in Hops (Humulus lupulus L.), an economically important species especially known for its usage in beer production. For that, stems, leaves, roots, and inflorescences were collected and processed for external morphology, anatomical, histochemical, ultrastructural and cytochemical analyses of the secretory sites. Our findings reveal three types of secretory structures comprising the secretory machinery of Hops: laticifer, phenolic idioblasts and glandular trichomes. The laticifer system is articulated, anastomosing and unbranched, traversing all plant organs, except the roots. Phenolic idioblasts are widely dispersed throughout the leaves, roots and floral parts of the species. Glandular trichomes appear as two distinct morphological types: capitate (spherical head) and peltate (radial head) and are found mainly in foliar and floral parts. The often-mixed chemical composition in the secretory sites serves to shield the plant from excessive UVB radiation, elevated temperatures, and damage inflicted by herbivorous animals or pathogenic microorganisms. Besides the exudate from peltate glandular trichomes (lupulin glands), latex and idioblast content are also likely contributors to the pharmacological properties of different Hop varieties, given their extensive presence in the plant body. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decoding the Secretory Structure in Plants: From Biology to Interaction Networks)
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18 pages, 7201 KiB  
Article
Diversity of Leaf Glands and Their Putative Functions in Rhamnaceae Species
by Lucas Iwamoto, Thales Augusto Vicentini, Felipe Paulino Ramos, Carimi Cortez Ribeiro and Simone Pádua Teixeira
Plants 2023, 12(21), 3732; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213732 - 31 Oct 2023
Viewed by 973
Abstract
Leaf glands are found in many Rhamnaceae species, the buckthorn family, and are frequently used in taxonomic studies of the group, especially because they are easily visible to the naked eye. Despite the many records and extensive use in the taxonomy of the [...] Read more.
Leaf glands are found in many Rhamnaceae species, the buckthorn family, and are frequently used in taxonomic studies of the group, especially because they are easily visible to the naked eye. Despite the many records and extensive use in the taxonomy of the family, few studies deal with the classification of these glands and their roles for the plant. Thus, this study aimed to unravel the type, functioning, and putative functions of the leaf glands of three Brazilian forest species: Colubrina glandulosa Perkins, Gouania polygama (Jacq.) Urb., and Rhamnidium elaeocarpum Reissek. Leaves were collected and processed for surface, anatomical, histochemical, and ultrastructural analyses. In addition, the presence of visitor animals was registered in the field. The leaf glands of C. glandulosa and G. polygama are defined as extrafloral structured nectaries due to their anatomical structure, interaction with ants, and the presence of reduced sugars and of a set of organelles in the secretory cells. The unusual mechanism of nectar release and exposure in an apical pore stands out in G. polygama. The glands of R. elaeocarpum are ducts or cavities that secrete phenolic oil resin. Their presence is an atypical condition in the family, although they are often confused with mucilage reservoirs, much more common in Rhamnaceae. The extrafloral nectary, secretory cavity, and duct are associated with plant protection against phytophages, either by attracting patrol ants or by making the organs deterrent. Our data, combined with other previously obtained data, attest to the great diversity of gland types found in Rhamnaceae species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decoding the Secretory Structure in Plants: From Biology to Interaction Networks)
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25 pages, 7934 KiB  
Article
Novel Mechanisms Underlying Rubber Accumulation and Programmed Cell Death in Laticiferous Canals of Decaisnea insignis Fruits: Cytological and Transcriptomic Analyses
by Yafu Zhou, Gen Li, Guijun Han, Shaoli Mao, Luyao Yang and Yanwen Wang
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3497; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193497 - 07 Oct 2023
Viewed by 833
Abstract
Natural rubber is one of the most important industrial raw materials, and its biosynthesis is still a fascinating process that is still largely unknown. In this research, we studied Decaisnea insignis, a unique rubber-producing plant that is different from other rubber-producing species [...] Read more.
Natural rubber is one of the most important industrial raw materials, and its biosynthesis is still a fascinating process that is still largely unknown. In this research, we studied Decaisnea insignis, a unique rubber-producing plant that is different from other rubber-producing species due to the presence of lactiferous canals in its pericarp. The present study aims to provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying rubber accumulation and PCD by subjecting the Decaisnea insignis laticiferous canals to light microscopy, TUNEL assay, and DAPI staining, as well as viability analysis, cellular ultrastructure analysis, and molecular analysis using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, immunofluorescence labeling, transmission electron microscopy, and transcriptome sequencing. At the cellular level, the origin of small rubber particles in the laticiferous canals had no morphological correlation with other organelles, and these particles were freely produced in the cytosol. The volume of the rubber particles increased at the sunken and expanding stage, which were identified as having the characteristics of programmed cell death (PCD); meanwhile, plenty of the rubber precursors or rubber particles were engulfed by the vacuoles, indicating a vacuole-mediated autophagy process. The accumulation of rubber particles occurred after the degeneration of protoplasts, suggesting a close association between rubber biosynthesis and PCD. The molecular analysis revealed the expression patterns of key genes involved in rubber biosynthesis. The upstream genes DiIPP, DiFPP, and DiGGPPS showed a decreasing trend during fruit ripening, while DiHRT, which is responsible for rubber particle extension, exhibited the highest expression level during the rubber particle formation. Moreover, the transcription factors related to PCD, DiLSD1, and DiLOL2 showed a negative correlation with the expression pattern of DiHRT, thus exhibiting strict rules of sequential expression during rubber biosynthesis. Additionally, the expression trends of DiXCP1 and DiCEP1, which act as proteases during PCD, were positively correlated with DiGGPPS expression. In conclusion, the findings suggest that the autophagic PCD may play a crucial role in rubber accumulation in D. insignis. Further research is still needed to fully understand the complex regulatory network underlying rubber biosynthesis in plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decoding the Secretory Structure in Plants: From Biology to Interaction Networks)
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14 pages, 2893 KiB  
Article
Inaugural Description of Extrafloral Nectaries in Sapindaceae: Structure, Diversity and Nectar Composition
by Danielle Maximo, Marcelo J. P. Ferreira and Diego Demarco
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3411; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193411 - 28 Sep 2023
Viewed by 810
Abstract
Sapindales is a large order with a great diversity of nectaries; however, to date, there is no information about extrafloral nectaries (EFN) in Sapindaceae, except recent topological and morphological data, which indicate an unexpected structural novelty for the family. Therefore, the goal of [...] Read more.
Sapindales is a large order with a great diversity of nectaries; however, to date, there is no information about extrafloral nectaries (EFN) in Sapindaceae, except recent topological and morphological data, which indicate an unexpected structural novelty for the family. Therefore, the goal of this study was to describe the EFN in Sapindaceae for the first time and to investigate its structure and nectar composition. Shoots and young leaves of Urvillea ulmacea were fixed for structural analyses of the nectaries using light and scanning electron microscopy. For nectar composition investigation, GC-MS and HPLC were used, in addition to histochemical tests. Nectaries of Urvillea are circular and sunken, corresponding to ocelli. They are composed of a multiple-secretory epidermis located on a layer of transfer cells, vascularized by phloem and xylem. Nectar is composed of sucrose, fructose, xylitol and glucose, in addition to amino acids, lipids and phenolic compounds. Many ants were observed gathering nectar from young leaves. These EFNs have an unprecedented structure in the family and also differ from the floral nectaries of Sapindaceae, which are composed of secretory parenchyma and release nectar through stomata. The ants observed seem to protect the plant against herbivores, and in this way, the nectar increases the defence of vegetative organs synergistically with latex. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decoding the Secretory Structure in Plants: From Biology to Interaction Networks)
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12 pages, 5066 KiB  
Article
First Report of Colleters in Araceae: A Case Study in Anthurium andraeanum Reveals Diverse Mucilage Glands Associated with the Developing Shoot
by Carlos Gabriel Pereira-Silva, Igor Ballego-Campos, Cássia Mônica Sakuragui, Eduardo Gomes Gonçalves and Elder Antônio Sousa Paiva
Plants 2023, 12(16), 2912; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12162912 - 10 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1119
Abstract
Araceae comprises a diverse group of plants that grow in various habitats, ranging from submerged aquatics to lithophytes. Thus, aroids are likely to show diverse glands acting in several plant–environment interactions, including colleters that protect young shoots. Based on this premise and the [...] Read more.
Araceae comprises a diverse group of plants that grow in various habitats, ranging from submerged aquatics to lithophytes. Thus, aroids are likely to show diverse glands acting in several plant–environment interactions, including colleters that protect young shoots. Based on this premise and the lack of studies regarding secretory structures in Araceae, we employed standard light and electron microscopy methods to test the hypothesis that colleters are present in Anthurium. Our main goals were to identify mucilage glands in A. andraeanum by conducting a detailed anatomical study of their structure, ultrastructure, and secretory activity. We found finger-like colleters in the apex of young leaves, spathes, and unexpanded cataphylls as well as secreting zones at the apex of expanded cataphylls, at the margins of non-fused cataphylls, and throughout the keels in two-keeled cataphylls. The colleters develop precociously and senesce shortly afterwards. Ultrastructural data and histochemistry confirmed the production of a polysaccharide-rich secretion that fills the spaces within the developing shoot. As far we know, this is the first time that colleters have been reported for Araceae. The functional roles of the secretion and the position of finger-like colleters concerning the ‘precursor tip’ of monocotyledons are discussed. Future research correlating secretory activity in colleters of species from different habitats might reveal a great diversity of mucilage glands with ecological and evolutionary significance to the family. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decoding the Secretory Structure in Plants: From Biology to Interaction Networks)
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