New aspects of gravity responses in plant cells

Plants show two distinct responses to gravity: gravity-dependent morphogenesis (gravimorphogenesis) and gravity resistance. In gravitropism, a typical mechanism of gravimorphogenesis, gravity is utilized as a signal to establish an appropriate form. The response has been studied in a gravity-free environment, where plant seedlings were found to perform spontaneous morphogenesis, termed automorphogenesis. Automorphogenesis consists of a change in growth direction and spontaneous curvature in dorsiventral directions. The spontaneous curvature is caused by a difference in the capacity of the cell wall to expand between the dorsal and the ventral sides of organs, which originates from the inherent structural anisotropy. Gravity resistance is a response that enables the plant to develop against the gravitational force. To resist the force, the plant constructs a tough body by increasing the cell wall rigidity that suppresses growth. The mechanical properties of the cell wall are changed by modification of the cell wall metabolism and cell wall environment, especially pH. In gravitropism, gravity is perceived by amyloplasts in statocytes, whereas gravity resistance may be mediated by mechanoreceptors on the plasma membrane. © 2003 Elsevier Inc.