Stomatal-based systems analysis of water use efficiency
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: College of Medical, Veterinary, Life Sci
Abstract
Stomata are pores that provide for gaseous exchange across the impermeable cuticle of plant leaves. They open and close to balance the requirement for CO2 entry for photosynthesis against the need to reduce the transpiration of water vapour and prevent leaf drying. Stomatal transpiration is at the centre of a crisis in water availability and crop production that is expected to unfold over the next 20-30 years: globally, agricultural water usage has increased 6-fold in the past 100 years, twice as fast as the human population, and is projected to double again before 2030. Thus stomata represent an important target for breeders interested in manipulating crop performance. Stomatal movements are driven by solute transport - and consequent uptake/loss of water - across the cell membrane of the guard cells which surround the stomatal pore. Significantly, stomatal responses are slow compared to photosynthesis in the face of environmental fluctuations, especially of light. Improving water use efficiency (=amount of carbon fixed in photosynthesis/amount of water transpired) should be possible, without a cost to carbon assimilated in photosynthesis, if the speed of stomatal responses, especially to light, can be enhanced. However, the complexity of guard cell transport and its coupling to gas exchange and transpiration has presented a formidable barrier to systematic reverse-engineering aimed at enhancing stomatal responses through genetic manipulation and other means.
Quantitative systems analysis offers an effective approach in silico to exploring the link between microscopic gene function and the macroscopic characteristics of assimilation and transpiration. As a first step to bridging this gap in understanding, we developed previously the OnGuard software for quantitative dynamic modelling of the guard cell. OnGuard models build explicitly on the wealth of molecular, biophysical and kinetic knowledge for guard cell transport and metabolism that drive stomatal movement; they accommodate stomata of different plant species, over the full range of conditions studied in the laboratory to date; and they have been shown to incorporate the real predictive power needed to guide experiments at the cellular and physiological levels that start with molecular manipulations in silico. The next major step towards establishing in silico strategies for crop design, based on our deep knowledge of stomatal guard cells, will be to establish and validate this computational link to incorporate carbon assimilation and water use efficiency at leaf and whole-plant levels.
We propose now to develop such a strategy in models of the leaf, and scaling to the crop in the field, that capture CO2 uptake and transpiration. We will build the next-generation OnGuard models that incorporate CO2 uptake and transpiration, and we will incorporate computational statistical methods to accelerate model construction. Most important, the models will provide the essential micro-macro link to connect molecular function with physiological traits of the whole plant in water use and photosynthetic carbon assimilation and will enable scaling to the crop in the field. We will test this second generation of OnGuard models and validate their outputs to examine the longstanding hypothesis that significant erosion in the efficiency of water use by plants arises because of the mismatch in dynamic environmental responses between stomata and photosynthesis. Additionally, we will explore the connection of these traits with oscillations known to occur in stomatal aperture and in the signalling events (e.g. cytosolic-free [Ca2+]) previously documented at the cellular level in single guard cells. All studies will focus on the crop plant Vicia for which there is much data at the single-cell and whole-leaf levels, and on Arabidopsis for which we have mutants with well-defined effects on stomatal kinetics.
Quantitative systems analysis offers an effective approach in silico to exploring the link between microscopic gene function and the macroscopic characteristics of assimilation and transpiration. As a first step to bridging this gap in understanding, we developed previously the OnGuard software for quantitative dynamic modelling of the guard cell. OnGuard models build explicitly on the wealth of molecular, biophysical and kinetic knowledge for guard cell transport and metabolism that drive stomatal movement; they accommodate stomata of different plant species, over the full range of conditions studied in the laboratory to date; and they have been shown to incorporate the real predictive power needed to guide experiments at the cellular and physiological levels that start with molecular manipulations in silico. The next major step towards establishing in silico strategies for crop design, based on our deep knowledge of stomatal guard cells, will be to establish and validate this computational link to incorporate carbon assimilation and water use efficiency at leaf and whole-plant levels.
We propose now to develop such a strategy in models of the leaf, and scaling to the crop in the field, that capture CO2 uptake and transpiration. We will build the next-generation OnGuard models that incorporate CO2 uptake and transpiration, and we will incorporate computational statistical methods to accelerate model construction. Most important, the models will provide the essential micro-macro link to connect molecular function with physiological traits of the whole plant in water use and photosynthetic carbon assimilation and will enable scaling to the crop in the field. We will test this second generation of OnGuard models and validate their outputs to examine the longstanding hypothesis that significant erosion in the efficiency of water use by plants arises because of the mismatch in dynamic environmental responses between stomata and photosynthesis. Additionally, we will explore the connection of these traits with oscillations known to occur in stomatal aperture and in the signalling events (e.g. cytosolic-free [Ca2+]) previously documented at the cellular level in single guard cells. All studies will focus on the crop plant Vicia for which there is much data at the single-cell and whole-leaf levels, and on Arabidopsis for which we have mutants with well-defined effects on stomatal kinetics.
Technical Summary
We will incorporate transpiration and carbon fixation explicitly within the OnGuard software, and will test, by in silico modelling and experimental validation, the hypothesis that significant erosion in the efficiency of water use by plants arises because of the mismatch in environmental responses between stomata and photosynthesis. These studies will explore also the connection to oscillations known to occur in stomatal aperture and in the signalling events (e.g. cytosolic-free [Ca2+]) previously documented at the cellular level in single guard cells and reproduced in the first-generation OnGuard models. The modelling and experimental methods proposed are independent, but their combination gives added value to both. Model development will incorporate recent advances in Bayesian inference to enable fast, automated searching for computational solutions. These are proven methods and naturally compute the confidences in model predictions and their relation to observed data. Bayesian methods also address questions such as 'Which parameters are critical to defining a specific set of behaviours?', questions that are important in directing model development. The experimental work will build on methods at the research forefront in analysing water use efficiency in real time from single plants and in scaling for data capture in the field by eddy flux (covariance) and stable isotope discrimination analysis. Experiments will assess stomatal response to light, humidity and CO2 to extract stomatal kinetics and their association with oscillations in transpiration and carbon assimilation. We will use these data to parameterise models and to test the micro-macro link of the models in predicting transpiration and water use efficiency. Thus, we fully expect new and exciting insights into the behaviour of stomata in the leaf and crop canopy, much as our previous modelling efforts provided hitherto unexpected insights into the physiology of the isolated guard cell.
Planned Impact
This proposal is for fundamental research developing new concepts at the core of ideas emerging within the international plant and systems biology communities. The research will stimulate thinking around strategies for systems modelling, especially in relation to membrane transport, plant growth, development and pathology, and it should facilitate in silico methodologies for the reverse-engineering of crops with improved traits. Thus, the research is expected to benefit fundamental researchers as well as agriculture and industry through conceptual developments as well as the introduction of new computational technologies for the analysis of plant water use efficiency and productivity. The research will feed into higher education training programmes through capacity building at the postgraduate and postdoctoral levels. Additional impact is proposed through public displays and the development of teaching resources building on the background work of this proposal. Finally the research will help guide future efforts in applications to agricultural/industrial systems. The applicants have established links with industrial/technology transfer partners and research institutes to take advantage of these developments. Further details of these, and additional impacts will be found in Part 1 of the Case for Support and in the attached Impact Pathways.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Michael Blatt (Principal Investigator) | |
| Simon Rogers (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Flütsch, Sabrina
(2020)
Guard Cell Starch Degradation Yields Glucose for Rapid Stomatal Opening in Arabidopsis
Karnik R
(2017)
Commandeering Channel Voltage Sensors for Secretion, Cell Turgor, and Volume Control.
in Trends in plant science
Blatt MR
(2022)
What can mechanistic models tell us about guard cells, photosynthesis, and water use efficiency?
in Trends in plant science
Eisenach C
(2014)
Clustering of the K+ channel GORK of Arabidopsis parallels its gating by extracellular K+.
in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
Zhang B
(2015)
The Arabidopsis R-SNARE VAMP721 Interacts with KAT1 and KC1 K+ Channels to Moderate K+ Current at the Plasma Membrane.
in The Plant cell
Wang Y
(2017)
Unexpected Connections between Humidity and Ion Transport Discovered Using a Model to Bridge Guard Cell-to-Leaf Scales.
in The Plant cell
Flütsch S
(2020)
Guard Cell Starch Degradation Yields Glucose for Rapid Stomatal Opening in Arabidopsis.
in The Plant cell
Chen ZH
(2016)
Nitrate reductase mutation alters potassium nutrition as well as nitric oxide-mediated control of guard cell ion channels in Arabidopsis.
in The New phytologist
Papanatsiou M
(2019)
Optogenetic manipulation of stomatal kinetics improves carbon assimilation, water use, and growth.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Zhao C
(2019)
Evolution of chloroplast retrograde signaling facilitates green plant adaptation to land.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Juric I
(2019)
Computational modelling predicts substantial carbon assimilation gains for C3 plants with a single-celled C4 biochemical pump.
in PLoS computational biology
Jezek M
(2019)
A constraint-relaxation-recovery mechanism for stomatal dynamics.
in Plant, cell & environment
Nguyen TH
(2023)
OnGuard3e: A predictive, ecophysiology-ready tool for gas exchange and photosynthesis research.
in Plant, cell & environment
Vialet-Chabrand S
(2016)
Modelling water use efficiency in a dynamic environment: An example using Arabidopsis thaliana.
in Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
Papanatsiou M
(2015)
Hydrogen sulfide regulates inward-rectifying K+ channels in conjunction with stomatal closure.
in Plant physiology
Lefoulon C
(2021)
The bare necessities of plant K+ channel regulation.
in Plant physiology
Waghmare S
(2018)
SNAREs SYP121 and SYP122 Mediate the Secretion of Distinct Cargo Subsets.
in Plant physiology
Zhang B
(2017)
VAMP721 Conformations Unmask an Extended Motif for K+ Channel Binding and Gating Control.
in Plant physiology
Jezek M
(2017)
The Membrane Transport System of the Guard Cell and Its Integration for Stomatal Dynamics.
in Plant physiology
Klejchova M
(2021)
Membrane voltage as a dynamic platform for spatiotemporal signaling, physiological, and developmental regulation.
in Plant physiology
Vialet-Chabrand S
(2017)
Global Sensitivity Analysis of OnGuard Models Identifies Key Hubs for Transport Interaction in Stomatal Dynamics.
in Plant physiology
Papanatsiou M
(2016)
Stomatal Spacing Safeguards Stomatal Dynamics by Facilitating Guard Cell Ion Transport Independent of the Epidermal Solute Reservoir.
in Plant physiology
Waghmare S
(2019)
K+ Channel-SEC11 Binding Exchange Regulates SNARE Assembly for Secretory Traffic.
in Plant physiology
Zhang B
(2019)
Dual Sites for SEC11 on the SNARE SYP121 Implicate a Binding Exchange during Secretory Traffic.
in Plant physiology
Wang Y
(2014)
Systems analysis of guard cell membrane transport for enhanced stomatal dynamics and water use efficiency.
in Plant physiology
Blatt M
(2014)
Focus on Water
in Plant Physiology
Larson ER
(2017)
Clathrin Heavy Chain Subunits Coordinate Endo- and Exocytic Traffic and Affect Stomatal Movement.
in Plant physiology
Vialet-Chabrand SRM
(2017)
Temporal Dynamics of Stomatal Behavior: Modeling and Implications for Photosynthesis and Water Use.
in Plant physiology
Hecker A
(2015)
Binary 2in1 Vectors Improve in Planta (Co)localization and Dynamic Protein Interaction Studies.
in Plant physiology
Zhang B
(2018)
A GPI Signal Peptide-Anchored Split-Ubiquitin (GPS) System for Detecting Soluble Bait Protein Interactions at the Membrane.
in Plant physiology
Minguet-Parramona C
(2016)
An Optimal Frequency in Ca2+ Oscillations for Stomatal Closure Is an Emergent Property of Ion Transport in Guard Cells.
in Plant physiology
Lawson T
(2014)
Stomatal size, speed, and responsiveness impact on photosynthesis and water use efficiency.
in Plant physiology
Wong J
(2021)
SAUR proteins and PP2C.D phosphatases regulate H+-ATPases and K+ channels to control stomatal movements
in Plant Physiology
Liao X
(2019)
A FRET method for investigating dimer/monomer status and conformation of the UVR8 photoreceptor.
in Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology
Horaruang W
(2022)
Engineering a K+ channel 'sensory antenna' enhances stomatal kinetics, water use efficiency and photosynthesis.
in Nature plants
Grefen Christopher
(2015)
A vesicle-trafficking protein commandeers Kv channel voltage sensors for voltage-dependent secretion (vol 1, 15108, 2015)
in NATURE PLANTS
Grefen C
(2015)
A vesicle-trafficking protein commandeers Kv channel voltage sensors for voltage-dependent secretion.
in Nature plants
Cai S
(2017)
Speedy Grass Stomata: Emerging Molecular and Evolutionary Features.
in Molecular plant
Blatt MR
(2014)
Applications of fluorescent marker proteins in plant cell biology.
in Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
Blatt MR
(2014)
Exploring emergent properties in cellular homeostasis using OnGuard to model K+ and other ion transport in guard cells.
in Journal of plant physiology
Papanatsiou M
(2017)
Stomatal clustering in Begonia associates with the kinetics of leaf gaseous exchange and influences water use efficiency.
in Journal of experimental botany
Feroz H
(2018)
Light-Driven Chloride Transport Kinetics of Halorhodopsin.
in Biophysical journal
Feroz H
(2021)
Liposome-based measurement of light-driven chloride transport kinetics of halorhodopsin.
in Biochimica et biophysica acta. Biomembranes
Klejchová M
(2020)
Predicting the unexpected in stomatal gas exchange: not just an open-and-shut case.
in Biochemical Society transactions
Horaruang W
(2017)
Mating Based Split-ubiquitin Assay for Detection of Protein Interactions.
in Bio-protocol
| Description | This project is to develop the next-generation OnGuard software platform for predicting gas exchange, water use, and photosynthetic yield. The platform will connect, in silico, the plant in the field with the molecular determinants that contribute to these characteristics. The work yielded insights into emergent behaviours of stomata. Among these, we were able to show that past ideas of oscillations as 'signatures' for stimulus-response coupling in guard cells arise as an emergent property of the transport activities of these cells rather than as independent signals in their own right. Expansion of the OnGuard platform to incorporate whole-plant and leaf transpiration also demonstrated how the gap between phenomenological models of gas exchange and mechanistic models of guard cells can be bridged within a single system. The outcomes yielded new insights into the interaction of guard cell transport with water flux and transpiration. We validated these insights through experimental analysis of predicted emergent behaviours. These findings are now published. |
| Exploitation Route | In the long term, the software platform should find applications in directed and rational development of genetic improvements for vegetative crop production. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Education Environment Other |
| Title | 2in1 vector systems |
| Description | Synthetic biology vectors for transient and stable transformation with quantitative visual reporting on cell-by-cell basis |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2009 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and over 100 research groups worldwide Vector system distributions to more than 500 research groups worldwide |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | EZ-Rhizo |
| Description | Computer software tool for quantitative measurement and analysis of root growth/development |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2010 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and research groups worldwide Online distribution has been accessed through the laboratory website with site views at a rate of >500 per month |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | Henry |
| Description | Software for electrophysiology and imaging data aquisition and analysis |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and research groups worldwide Online distribution has been accessed through the laboratory website with site views at a rate of >500 per month |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | Multicistronic vector systems |
| Description | Synthetic biology vector systems for transient and stable transformation for expressing multiple, tagged proteins and for quantitative analysis of membrane traffic and transport |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2010 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and over 100 research groups worldwide Vector system distributions to more than 500 research groups worldwide |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | OnGuard |
| Description | Systems biology software for quantitative modelling of cellular transport and homeostasis |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2012 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and research groups worldwide Online distribution has been accessed through the laboratory website with site views at a rate of >500 per month |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | SUS vector systems |
| Description | Synthetic biological vector systems for protein-protein interaction screening |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2010 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and over 100 research groups worldwide Vector system distributions to more than 500 research groups worldwide |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | Software tools for electrophysiology and imaging |
| Description | The laboratory continues to develop and refine software/hardware tools for data acquisition and analysis relevant to electrophysiology, single-cell imaging and analysis. These activities are long-standing and open-ended, and develop in line with the current research activities and needs of the laboratory. All software and related packages are made freely available to the research community through the laboratory website at psrg.org.uk |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The various software tools and packages have furthered the research activities of the laboratory since the 1990s and continue to provide key support and drivers for advancing much of current research. These tools and packages are disseminated, on average, to over 100 laboratories per year. |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | EZ-Rhizo |
| Description | Software for quantitative trait analysis and acquisition for root growth/development |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2010 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and research groups worldwide Online distribution has been accessed through the laboratory website with site views at a rate of >500 per month |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | Henry |
| Description | Software package for electrophysiology and imaging data acquisition and analysis |
| Type Of Material | Data handling & control |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and research groups worldwide Online distribution has been accessed through the laboratory website with site views at a rate of >500 per month |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | OnGuard |
| Description | Quantitative systems biology modelling of cellular transport and homeostasis |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2012 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and research groups worldwide Online distribution has been accessed through the laboratory website with site views at a rate of >500 per month |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Title | SDM-assist |
| Description | Software for molecular primer design that enables introduction of silent markers for molecular cloning |
| Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
| Year Produced | 2013 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Multiple publications from my own research group and research groups worldwide Online distribution has been accessed through the laboratory website with site views at a rate of >500 per month |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Description | PBL |
| Organisation | Plant Bioscience Limited Technology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | IPR on ABA receptor technology and ABA signalling |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding related to IPR on ABA receptor technology and ABA signalling |
| Impact | Multiple outcomes in publications and industrial contacts |
| Description | PSG |
| Organisation | POSCO - South Korea |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Base support for meetings and exchange of materials |
| Collaborator Contribution | Base support for meetings and exchange of materials |
| Impact | Base support for meetings and exchange of materials |
| Title | Software tools and packages for electrophysiology and imaging |
| Description | The laboratory continues to develop and refine software/hardware tools for data acquisition and analysis relevant to electrophysiology, single-cell imaging and analysis. These activities are long-standing and open-ended, and develop in line with the current research activities and needs of the laboratory. All software and related packages are made freely available to the research community through the laboratory website at psrg.org.uk |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Impact | The various software tools and packages have furthered the research activities of the laboratory since the 1990s and continue to provide key support and drivers for advancing much of current research. These tools and packages are disseminated, on average, to over 100 laboratories per year. |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Description | International online services |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Blatt and members of his laboratory have contributed to various media events over the years, including online interview contributions (e.g. People behind the Science, a US-based media program) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2006,2008,2011,2015,2016,2017,2018 |
| Description | Invited presentations |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I regularly speak to audiences, from small groups (5-20) to large audiences (>1000) in a variety of settings. In addition to teaching and extramural activities associated with the university, I also speak on invitation to national and international groups a number of times each year and in a variety of settings, academic as well as public. I also reach audiences through short video presentations mounted on the web, these primarily via my laboratory website and the ASPB websites. Anyone reading this entry is welcome to visit these sites to learn more. The impacts arising from my presentations are varied. For example, a common consequence of my speaking in academic settings is to attract potential researchers to visit my laboratory and, frequently, to interest potential collaborators and students/postdocs to my research group. At scientific meetings, my talks often attract interest also from researchers interested in the various tools and materials that my research has produced, including the various vector systems and software packages that I |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018 |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Description | Schools and displays |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As these were multiple events, this question is not informative or useful. Participants varied from numbers in the tens to several thousands Extensive training of participating laboratory members as well as broad scope reach to schools and communities, in the case of the GCC science days to the west of Scotland and in the case of the IFPD activities to audiences within and outside the UK |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018 |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Description | Teaching Tools |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The PI has supported the editor in developing these tools since their inception in 2009 and has contributed to recent tools relating to membranes and transport education The Tool received an international award in 2010 for excellence in education and has an acknowledged takeup worldwide in over 3000 institutions |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018 |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |
| Description | Teaching Tools |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The PI has supported the editor in developing these tools since their inception in 2009 and has contributed to recent tools relating to membranes and transport education The Tool received an international award in 2010 for excellence in education and has an acknowledged takeup worldwide in over 3000 institutions |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018 |
| URL | http://psrg.org.uk |