Living under press. How guard cells cope with high inflation

保卫细胞在打开和关闭微孔（气孔）时经历大量和重复的压力变化，植物依赖这些微孔来平衡光合作用所需的水分损失和CO2增加。这些细胞的壁必须具有非常特殊的机械性质，并且在以前的工作中，我们确定了所涉及的壁的一些分子组分（例如，Current Biology（2022）32，3170 - 3179）。Current Biology（2017）27，2974 - 2983）。在这个项目中，你将采取下一步前进，以了解纳米如何这些壁组件的行动，以控制拟南芥保卫细胞的机械性能。结合原子力显微镜与分子遗传学和酶技术来改变细胞壁，您将测试细胞壁结构和保卫细胞功能之间的机械联系。

Guard cells undergo massive and repeated changed in pressure as they open and close the micropores (stomata) upon which plants depend to balance lost of water against gain of CO2 for photosynthesis. The walls of these cells must have very special mechanical properties and in previous work we identified some of the molecular components of the wall involved (e.g. Current Biology (2022) 32, 3170-3179). Current Biology (2017) 27, 2974-2983). In this project you will take the next step forward to understand the nanoscale how these wall components act to control the mechanical properties of the Arabidopsis guard cell. Combining Atomic Force Microscopy with molecular genetic and enzymatic techniques to alter the wall, you will test the mechanistic link between wall structure and guard cell function.