Onion Root Anatomy and the Uptake of Sulphate and Phosphate Ions
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Onion Root Anatomy and the Uptake of Sulphate and Phosphate Ions by Ishari Waduwara A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Science in Biology Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2007 © Ishari Waduwara 2007 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract Ions in the soil solution traverse many layers (epidermis, exodermis, central cortex, and endodermis) within the root to reach the stele. The endodermis is present in almost all vascular plants while the exodermis is found only in majority of angiosperm roots tested. The maturation of the exodermis and the death of epidermis alter the plasma membrane surface areas (PMSA) potentially available for ion uptake. Do these changes reduce the ion uptake in proportion to the loss of absorptive surface areas? To answer this question onion (Allium cepa L cv. Wolf) adventitious root segments representing above features: Immature Exodermis Live Epidermis (IEXLEP), Mature Exodermis Live Epidermis (MEXLEP), Mature Exodermis Dead Epidermis (MEXDEP) were excised. Using a compartmental elution technique, radioactive sulphate and phosphate present in various internal compartments were quantified. Quantities of ions moved across the plasma membrane, a summation of quantities in the cytoplasm, ‘vacuole’, and ‘bound’ compartments, indicated that the maturation of the exodermis reduces the uptake of sulphate but not phosphate. In contrast, epidermal death reduced the movement of both ions across the plasma membranes. Although there is a reduction in the available PMSA with the maturation of the exodermis and death of the epidermis, these events do not necessarily reduce the ion movement into the plasma symplast. The endodermal cells of onion roots deposit suberin lamellae as secondary walls. As seen in cross- sections some cells remain without these lamellae and are known as ‘passage cells’. What is the pattern of suberin lamella deposition along the root? Is the suberin lamella a continuous layer? To answer these questions, endodermal layers isolated from onion adventitious roots were used in the present study. These layers were observed using four stains (Sudan Red 7B, Fluorol yellow 088 [Fy], berberine, and Nile red) and three microscopes (compound-white light, compound-epifluorescence and confocal scanning). In differentiating cells with and without suberin lamellae in endodermal layers Sudan Red 7B served the best results for compound-white light microscope, Fy for compound- epifluorescence microscope and Nile for confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Suberin lamellae deposition initiated almost in a random manner; they continued to be deposited resulting in the production of longitudinal files alternating with files with passage cells, and were ultimately deposited in almost all cells at a distance of 255 mm from the tip. The suberin lamellae are perforated with pores, a consistent feature even as far as 285 mm from the tip. These pores may serve as portals for water, ions, and pathogen movement. iii Acknowledgements I am deeply indebted to my supervisor Dr. Carol A. Peterson for offering me the wonderful opportunity to become a graduate student at the University of Waterloo and a research member in her laboratory. I could not have imagined having a better advisor and mentor for my MSc. She not only proofread multiple versions of this thesis, but also provided many stylistic suggestions and substantive challenges to help me improve my scientific writing especially in clarifying my arguments. My appreciation goes to my committee members Dr. Bernard R. Glick, Dr. Trevor C. Charles and Dr. Simon D. X. Chuong for agreeing to be in my advisory committee. Thank you all for the helpful suggestions given during the committee meetings and for your valuable time. I thank the University of Waterloo for awarding me International Graduate Students Scholarships and Graduate Students Scholarships, and the Department of Biology for the Ram and Lekha Tumkur award and teaching assistantships. I would like to thank Mr. Ekk of Pfennings Certified Organics for the gift of onion bulbs, Dr. William Taylor, Department of Biology, for allowing me to use the scintillation counter, Dr. Erin Harvey, statistical consultant (Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science) for assistance with statistical analyses of research data and Shantel Walcott for assisting me with part of the research work presented in Chapter 3. Especial thanks goes to Daryl Enstone for her great assistance from the first day of my arrival in the lab. Chris Meyer, Dr. Fangshan Ma and Alice Fang provided a wonderful study environment together with reliable friendship. Thank you! I am particularly indebted to uncle Anthony for directing me towards the path of education. Heartiest thanks to my father (who is not with us anymore) mother, brother and his family for all the caring and encouragement. I offer my deepest sense of acknowledgement to my beloved husband, Nandana Jayabahu for his constant understanding, encouragement and support throughout my life. Without you this graduation will not have been possible. Last but not least to my ‘little pal’ inside for giving me the least trouble during writing this thesis. iv Table of Contents AUTHOR'S DECLARATION...............................................................................................................ii Abstract .................................................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements ...............................................................................................................................iv Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................v List of Abbreviations...........................................................................................................................viii List of Figures .......................................................................................................................................ix List of Tables.........................................................................................................................................xi Chapter 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................1 1.1 Structure of the root......................................................................................................................1 1.1.1 Epidermis...............................................................................................................................4 1.1.2 Cortex ....................................................................................................................................4 1.1.3 Stele.......................................................................................................................................9 1.2 Transport of ions ..........................................................................................................................9 1.2.1 Apoplastic transport.............................................................................................................10 1.2.2 Symplastic transport ............................................................................................................13 1.2.3 Plasma membrane transport ................................................................................................13 1.3 Radial ion movement in roots.....................................................................................................18 1.4 Plasma membrane surface areas accessible to ions with root anatomical modifications ...........18 1.4.1 Immature exodermis............................................................................................................21 1.4.2 Maturation of the exodermis ...............................................................................................21 1.4.3 Death of epidermis ..............................................................................................................21 1.5 Sulphur and Phosphorous...........................................................................................................21 1.6 Effect of temperature on ion uptake ...........................................................................................23 1.7 Compartmental elution technique...............................................................................................26 Chapter 2 THE EFFECTS OF EXODERMAL DEVELOPMENT AND EPIDERMAL DEATH ON ION UPTAKE ......................................................................................................................................30 2.1 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................30 2.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................30 2.3 Materials and Methods ...............................................................................................................36 2.3.1 Plant material.......................................................................................................................36