Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Glasgow, Bower Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
Biochem Soc Trans. 2020 Jun 30;48(3):881-889. doi: 10.1042/BST20190632.
Plant membrane transport, like transport across all eukaryotic membranes, is highly non-linear and leads to interactions with characteristics so complex that they defy intuitive understanding. The physiological behaviour of stomatal guard cells is a case in point in which, for example, mutations expected to influence stomatal closing have profound effects on stomatal opening and manipulating transport across the vacuolar membrane affects the plasma membrane. Quantitative mathematical modelling is an essential tool in these circumstances, both to integrate the knowledge of each transport process and to understand the consequences of their manipulation in vivo. Here, we outline the OnGuard modelling environment and its use as a guide to predicting the emergent properties arising from the interactions between non-linear transport processes. We summarise some of the recent insights arising from OnGuard, demonstrate its utility in interpreting stomatal behaviour, and suggest ways in which the OnGuard environment may facilitate 'reverse-engineering' of stomata to improve water use efficiency and carbon assimilation.
植物膜转运，就像所有真核生物膜的转运一样，具有高度的非线性，并导致与特征的相互作用，这些特征非常复杂，以至于难以直观理解。气孔保卫细胞的生理行为就是一个很好的例子，例如，预计会影响气孔关闭的突变对气孔开放有深远的影响，并且操纵液泡膜上的转运会影响质膜。在这种情况下，定量数学建模是一种必不可少的工具，不仅可以整合每个转运过程的知识，还可以了解其在体内操作的后果。在这里，我们概述了 OnGuard 建模环境及其作为预测非线性转运过程相互作用产生的新兴特性的指南的用途。我们总结了一些最近由 OnGuard 产生的新见解，展示了它在解释气孔行为方面的实用性，并提出了 OnGuard 环境可能有助于“逆向工程”气孔以提高水利用效率和碳同化的方法。
