Four Investigations of Carnivorous Plants and Triggerplants

Foy K., McDermott M., McMahon M.E., Weisbrod A., Darnowski D.W.

Department of Biology • Washington College • 300 Washington Avenue • Chestertown, MD 21620 • USA

A laboratory for basic and applied research on carnivorous and subcarnivorous plants (various genera and families) and on triggerplants and their relatives (Stylidium, Levenhookia, others; Stylidiaceae)

Foy K., McDermott M., McMahon M.E., Weisbrod A., Darnowski D.W.

Department of Biology • Washington College • 300 Washington Avenue • Chestertown, MD 21620 • USA

(The following abstract describes both presentations noted above)

Several projects dealing with carnivorous and subcarnivorous plants and with triggerplants and their relatives, both from a basic and from an applied standpoint, continue at a new laboratory at Washington College in Maryland. The projects usually deal with both groups of plants, thus the inclusion of triggerplants for this abstract.

1) Using basic approaches, KF and DWD have begun a study of the role of the actin cytoskeleton in the bending/nonbending of stalked glands from various carnivorous genera, concentrating on actin and on the actin monomer-binding protein profilin.

2) In order to better understand the biochemical function of carnivorous leaves a)on a fine scale, MM and DWD have begun work with specialized electrophoresis cells which, it is hoped, will allow resolution of proteins in dilute samples, such as those from very small samples of leaf tissue, at the gel and Western blot levels, and b)on more gross scale they have started work on an improved field for plant carnivory to cover lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates, as well as proteins. The apparati are designed to perform SDSPAGE, IEF, and two-dimensional protein resolution.

3) On the applied side MEM and DWD are exploring a propagation system using the hormone/agricultural chemical TDZ, a cytokinin. This method may be general, though its use at the moment is being tested for the rapid and season-independent propagation of pygmy Drosera spp. and Stylidium spp.

4)AW and DWD are considering the effect of smoke on the germination of Western Australian carnivorous plants and triggerplants. Presently, concentration is on Stylidium calcaratum, S. graminifolium, Levenhookia pusilla, and Drosera erythrorhiza subsp. erthyrorhiza, and on the use of a novel small scale device for the production of a smoke extract which can be used in tissue culture germination of such seeds.

Students Shauna Bolden, Leora-Leigh Ramiro, and Briana Neal are also participating in various aspects.