Snap Close: Venus Fly Trap
As the of study evolution for plants and animals continues to expand, researchers are able to better analyze how distinct characteristics of both groups can be better understood. For the Venus’s flytrap, Dionaea muscipula, researchers have been able to understand not only why it opens its jaw like mouth, but also how internally it can consume ATP to fuel the closure movement. When an insect becomes allured to the Venus’s mouth, the insect touches one of the plant’s hairs which are sensory structures. As the plant senses the touch of the insect, its receptor potentials from the sensitive hairs produce movement and the mouth, starting at the midrib, closes rapidly. Today, through the research of M.J. Jalle, we will analyze the hypothesis that ATP plays a role in mechanically stimulated rapid closure of the Venus’s-Flytrap.
To test the given hypothesis, Jalle first began research into other plants. After full review of the Venus’s flytrap, researchers were still unable to find the direct source of how it closes, but through the study other plants; researchers were able to find parallel answers. For example, pea tendrils and Mimosa plants both produce similar biochemical rapid movement which both use a contractile ATPase that consumes ATP for movement. Due to the similarity of the movements, these plants were used as a foundation for the study of the Venus’s flytrap movement.
Using that foundation, the following experiment was conducted and produced the given results. When the midribs of untreated traps of Dionaea muscipula are frozen in liquid nitrogen after rapid closure, they contained significantly less ATP than those frozen before closure. Exogenous ATP caused a significant increase in the rate of mechanically stimulated trap closure. Illuminated traps closed faster than those kept in the dark. The traps of plants placed in 100% 02 close much faster than do air controls, while 100% C02 inhibits closure. It is concluded that ATP is probably the native source of potential energy for contraction of the trap’s midrib, and that if the endogenous ATP titer is increased by oxidative phosphorylation or an exogenous source, the trap will close faster.
Through the research produced by Jalle, we are able to view the direct connection between plants that produce movement and how exactly ATP is used by these plants for energy. As the ATP increases, so does the speed of how fast the Venus’s flytrap midrib closes. So with an increase in an energy source, the movement and speed of the plants will increase. According to Thomas Sumner, Venus flytraps are continuously studied to view exactly not only the biological processes behind the closure of the midribs but also the physical one. With the research produced by Jalle, scientists are able to view the reasoning behind both processes.
Citations
Jalle, M.J. The Role of ATP in Mechanically Stimulated Rapid Closure of the Venuss-Flytrap. Diss. Department of Botany, Ohio University, 1972. Web. <http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/51/1/17.full.pdf html>.
Sumner, Thomas. “Inside Science.” Investigating the Venus Flytrap’s Speedy Snap. N.p., 20 Nov 2012. Web. 13 Sep 2013. <http://www.insidescience.org/content/investigating-venus-flytraps-speedy-snap/847>.