A Centrifuge-Based Method for Identifying Novel Genetic Traits That Affect Root-Substrate Adhesion in Arabidopsis thaliana

The physical presence of roots and the compounds they release affect the cohesion between roots and their environment. However, the plant traits that are important for these interactions are unknown and most methods that quantify the contributions of these traits are time-intensive and require specialist equipment and complex substrates. Our lab developed an inexpensive, high-throughput phenotyping assay that quantifies root-substrate adhesion in Arabidopsis thaliana. We now report that this method has high sensitivity and versatility for identifying different types of traits affecting root-substrate adhesion including root hair morphology, vesicle trafficking pathways, and root exudate composition. We describe a practical protocol for conducting this assay and introduce its use in a forward genetic screen to identify novel genes affecting root-substrate interactions. This assay is a powerful tool for identifying and quantifying genetic contributions to cohesion between roots and their environment.

根系的物理存在及其分泌的化合物，会影响根系与其生长环境之间的黏附结合强度。然而，目前尚不明确对这类互作发挥关键调控作用的植物性状；且现有绝大多数用于量化此类性状贡献度的方法均耗时耗力，还需要专用实验设备与复杂的基质材料。本研究团队开发了一种低成本、高通量的表型分析方法，可量化拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）的根系-基质黏附力。本研究证实，该方法具备高灵敏度与广泛适用性，可用于鉴定影响根系-基质黏附力的各类性状，包括根毛形态、囊泡运输通路以及根系分泌物组成。本文详述了开展该分析实验的实用操作流程，并介绍了其在正向遗传筛选中的应用，用以挖掘调控根系-基质互作的全新功能基因。该检测方法是一款高效工具，可用于鉴定并量化调控根系与其生长环境之间黏附结合强度的遗传贡献因素。