AP Biology, Chapter 39 SUMMARY INTRODUCTION PLANT HORMONES Introduction Research on how plants grow toward light led to the

discovery of plant hormones: science as a process 1. For each of the following scientists, describe their hypothesis, experiments, and conclusions about the mechanism of phototropism: Charles Darwin, Francis Darwin, Peter Boysen-Jensen, F.W. Went. a. Charles Darwin and Francis Darwin i. Hypothesis: shoot tip mediates phototropism ii. Experiments .Remove or opaquely shield tip, no bending .Transparent tip shield or base shield, bending iii. Conclusion: tip senses light, required for response b. Boysen-Jensen i. Hypothesis: tip produces substance that moves downward ii. Experiment: gelatin block vs. mica insert iii. Conclusion: chemical substance moves downward c. Went i. Hypothesis: secretion of substance is asymmetrical ii. Experiments .Agar block captures substance .Asymmetric application mimics phototropism .Purified the substance auxin ii. Conclusion: auxin made on the shady side causes cell enlargement, bending [currently in disfavor] Plant hormones help coordinate growth, development, and responses to environmental stimuli 2. List five major classes of plant hormones, describe their major functions, and note where they are produced in the plant. a. Auxin i. Functions .Stimulates cell elongation .Root growth, differentiation, branching .Fruit development .Maintains apical dominance ii. Produced in embryo, meristems, young leaves b. Cytokinins i. Functions .Stimulates cell division .Stimulates germination .Delays senescence .Counters apical dominance ii. Produced in roots c. Gibberellins i. Functions .Stimulate cell elongation and cell division .Stimulates fruit development .Released by embryo to promote germination

ii. Produced in apical buds, young leaves, embryos d. Abscisic acid i. Functions .Slows growth, inhibits vascular cambium .Maintains seed dormancy .Causes rapid closing of stomata during wilting ii. Produced in terminal buds e. Ethylene i. Functions .Promotes fruit ripening .Stimulates development of the abscission layer in the fall ii. Produced in ripening fruits, nodes, aging leaves and flowers 3. Explain how a hormone may cause its effect on plant growth and development. a. Stimulate division, elongation and differentiation 4. According to the acid-growth hypothesis, explain how auxin can initiate cell elongation. a. Auxin stimulates proton pumps b. Protons in the cell wall stimulate enzymes that loosen it c. Auxin also stimulates growth of the cytoplasm and wall 5. Explain why 2,4-D is widely used as a weed killer. a. 2,4-D = 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, a synthetic auxin b. Application is a hormonal overdose 6. Explain how the ratio of cytokinin to auxin affects cell division and cell differentiation. a. More cytokinin shoot buds develop b. More auxin roots develop c. Equal amounts undifferentiated callus grows Analysis of mutant plants is extending the list of hormones and their functions Signal-transduction pathways link cellular responses to plant hormonal signals and environmental stimuli 7. Describe how signal-transduction pathways can affect multiple responses to plant hormones. a. Hormone binds to cell surface receptor b. Stimulates the formation or release of a second messenger c. Second messenger effects .Turn on proton pumps .Stimulate secretion of wall materials .Activate transcription factors PLANT MOVEMENTS AS MODELS FOR STUDYING CONTROL SYSTEMS Introduction Tropisms orient the growth of plant organs toward or away from stimuli 8. Distinguish tropisms and turgor movements. a. Tropisms i. Irreversible cell elongation ii. Bends a shoot or root toward or away from a stimulus b. Turgor movements i. Reversible due to movements of K+ ii. Coordinated by action potentials like those in nervous tissue iii. Ex. Mimosa folds its leaves, beans lower their leaves at night 9. Describe the common plant tropisms. a. Phototropism i. Shoot bends toward light ii. An inhibitor of elongation accumulates on the lighted side b. Gravitropism i. Shoots move away (negative), roots move towards (positive)

ii. May involve statoliths c. Thigmostropism i. Climbing plant tendrils coil when they contact something to climb on ii. Non-climbers may be stunted by touch Turgor movements are relatively rapid, reversible plant responses CONTROL OF DAILY AND SEASONAL RESPONSES Biological clocks control circadian rhythms in plants and other eukaryotes 10. Define circadian rhythm and explain what happens when an organism is artificially maintained in a constant environment. a. Circadian rhythms are physiological responses on a 24-hour schedule b. In a constant environment: i. Bean plants maintain sleep movement cycles ii. Stomata open and close iii. Humans maintain sleep-wake cycle Photoperiodism synchronizes many plant responses to changes of season 11. Define photoperiodism. a. Physiological response to the length of the day b. Usually timing seasonal events like flowering 12. Distinguish between short-day, long-day, and day-neutral plants. Explain why these names are misleading. a. Types of resonses i. Short-day .Triggered by day length shorter than a critical time .Ex.: poinsettias, soybeans ii. Long-day .Triggered by day length longer than a critical time .Spinach, radish, iris iii. Day-neutral .Unaffected by day length .Tomatoes, rice, dandelions b. Plants actually respond to night length PHYTOCHROMES Introduction Phytochromes function as photoreceptors in many plant responses to light and photoperiod 13. Describe the role of phytochromes in mediating photoperiodic responses. a. Phytochromes are kinases with light-absorbing chromophores i. Absorb red light and then autophosphorylate ii. May then activate transcription factors b. Ratios of the various forms can trigger physiological responses Phytochromes may entrain the biological clock PLANT RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS Introduction Plants cope with environmental stress through a combination of developmental and physiological responses 14. Explain how plants deter herbivores with physical and chemical defenses. a. Physical: like tough coverings, thorns, hairs b. Chemical i. Toxic amino acid analogues like canavanine ii. When wounded may release attractant of parasitic wasp

DEFENSE AGAINST PATHOGENS Introduction Resistance to disease depends on a gene-for-gene recognition between plant and pathogen 15. Describe the multiple ways that plants defend against pathogens. a. Gene-for-gene resistance requires specific host and pathogen genes b. Hypersensitive response i. Local chemical response ii. Release phytoalexins and pathogenesis-related proteins iii. Antimicrobial and stimulate thickened walls iv. Enhanced in gene-for-gene match c. Systemic acquired resistance i. Non-specific whole-plant hormone response ii. May involve salicylic acid The hypersensitive response (HR) contains an infection Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) helps prevent infection throughout the plant