Planta Med 2019; 85(18): 1432-1433
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3399751
Main Congress Poster
Poster Session 1
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Aquaphotomics study of a resurrection plant Haberlea rhodopensis

J Muncan
1   Biomeasurement Technology Laboratory, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University,, 1-1, Rokkodai, Nada, 657-8501, Kobe, Japan
2   Biomedical Engineering Department, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade,, Kraljice Marije 16, 11120, Belgrade, Serbia
,
R Tsenkova
1   Biomeasurement Technology Laboratory, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University,, 1-1, Rokkodai, Nada, 657-8501, Kobe, Japan
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
20 December 2019 (online)

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Haberlea rhodopensis is a resurrection plant with many applications in pharmacology, medicine and cosmetics[1]. Metabolic profiling of this plant revealed numerous bioactive components with many health benefits [2]. This vast richness of protective compounds actually enables it to survive long periods in completely desiccated state, and quickly and fully recover upon rewatering [3]. However, the mechanism of how these components act together to protect the plant is not fully understood and is a subject of research.

Aquaphotomics is a novel scientific discipline, concerned with studying water, its structure and roles in biological systems[4]. It uses light-water interaction as a source of information and thus allows completely non-destructive, rapid, real-time measurements. Numerous aquaphotomics studies on plants revealed interesting roles of water molecular species in plant tissues which provided rationale to apply aquaphotomics methodology to study the water in leaves in H. rhodopensis plants during desiccation and subsequent rehydration in order to understand the mechanism of protection of its tissues against the damage and survival in the dry state[5].

The study discovered that together with rapid loss of water this plant performs dynamic control of water molecular structure keeping it in certain state. In the completely dried state H. rhodopensis plant drastically diminished free water molecules, cutting down the possibility for biochemical reactions, and accumulated water dimers and water molecules with 4 hydrogen bonds. In summary, what was concluded is that the protective compounds act synergistically to shape the water in plant tissues in a way which enables “drying without dying”.

 

  • References

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