Cellular social networks of organelles

Bioenergetic organelles within plant cells are highly motile, interacting with each other and forming complex networks. Uncovering why this behaviour occurs is not only an important and interesting fundamental question, but by understanding why plants invest so much energy into maintaining this dynamic environment, we can begin to monitor and potentially increase the efficiency of crop plants. Organelles carry their own DNA from their endosymbiotic origins, but have retained only some of this genomic information; the feature governing this retention are hotly debated. The genetics and dynamics of these organelles are closely related, as "kiss-and-run" events allow the potential transfer of DNA between mitochondria. Answering questions on relationships between physical and genetic dynamics of organelles is also important in the production of cells with cytoplasmic male sterility, as perturbations in this genetic control allow the efficient production of hybrids, vital in agriculture and feeding growing populations.
Using mitoGFP fluorescence, MitoTracker stains, and ParticleTracker software we can analyse the network connectivity of these mitochondria and chloroplasts, and quantify behavioural traits, in wild type cells and structural and genetic mutants. The energy landscape of the cell can be measured using dyes such as TMRM, revealing the individual state of mitochondria, leading us to understand why certain mitochondria move to certain cellular regions when membrane potential varies. We will also look at the differences in organelle dynamics within C4 plants, comparing these networks to C3 plants with the eventual aim of synthetically bringing these characteristics into C3 plants to increase crop plant efficiency.
If the dynamics of bioenergetic organelles can be quantified, a map for the manipulation of organelle dynamics in crop plants may be created, reaching towards food security solutions, while also gaining fundamental understanding of these rapidly moving, and fascinating organelles.