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Plant Biol (Stuttg) 2002; 4(1): 34-45
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-20434
Original Paper
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ·New York

The Role of Druse and Raphide Calcium Oxalate Crystals in Tissue Calcium Regulation in Pistia stratiotes Leaves

G. M. Volk 2 , V. J. Lynch-Holm 1 , T. A. Kostman 3 , L. J. Goss 1 , V. R. Franceschi 1
  • Current addresses: 1 School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
  • 2 United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Seed Storage Laboratory, 1111 S. Mason St., Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
  • 3 Department of Biology and Microbiology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, 800 Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh, WI 54901-8640, USA
Further Information

Publication History

January 5, 2001

December 18, 2001

Publication Date:
28 February 2002 (online)

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Abstract

Ca oxalate crystal formation was examined in Pistia stratiotes L. leaves during excess Ca and Ca-deficient conditions. Pistia produces druse crystal idioblasts in the adaxial mesophyll and raphide idioblasts in the abaxial aerenchyma. Raphide crystals were previously found to grow bidirectionally, and here we show that Ca is incorporated along the entire surfaces of developing druse crystals, which are coated with membrane-bound microprojections. Leaves formed on plants grown on 0 Ca medium have fewer and smaller druse crystals than leaves formed under 5 mM Ca (“control”) conditions, while raphide crystal formation is completely inhibited. When plants were moved from 0 to 15 mM (“high”) Ca, the size and number of crystals in new leaves returned to (druse) or exceeded (raphide) control levels. High Ca also induced formation of druse, but not raphide, crystals in differentiating chlorenchyma cells. When plants were transferred from 15 mM Ca to 0 Ca, young druse crystals were preferentially partially dissolved. Oxalate oxidase, an enzyme that degrades oxalate, increased during Ca deficiency and was localized to the crystal surfaces. The more dynamic nature of druse crystals is not due to hydration form as both crystal types are shown to be monohydrate. Part of the difference may be because raphide idioblasts have developmental constraints that interfere with a more flexible response to changing Ca. These studies demonstrate that excess Ca can be stored as Ca oxalate, the Ca can be remobilized under certain conditions, and different forms of Ca oxalate have different roles in bulk Ca regulation.

Key words

Calcium - Calcium oxalate - Crystals - Pistia stratiotes - oxalate oxidase

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V. R. Franceschi

School of Biological Sciences
Washington State University

Pullman
WA 99164-4236
USA

Email: vfrances@mail.wsu.edu

Section Editor: A. Läuchli