University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 1800 East West Rd., Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2021 Feb;59:101978. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2020.11.003. Epub 2021 Jan 14.
Succulent leaves have long intrigued biologists; much research has been done to define succulence, understand the evolutionary trajectory and implications of leaf succulence, and contextualize the ecological importance of water storage for plants inhabiting dry habitats, particularly those using CAM photosynthesis. Surprisingly little is understood about the molecular regulation of leaf succulence, despite advances in our understanding of the molecular foundation of leaf architecture in model systems. Moreover, leaf succulence is a drought avoidance trait, one that has yet to be fully used for crop improvement. Here, connections between disparate literatures are highlighted: research on the regulation of cell size, the determination of vascular patterning, and water transport between cells have direct implications for our understanding of leaf succulence. Connecting functional genomics of leaf patterning with knowledge of the evolution and ecology of succulent species will guide future research on the determination and maintenance of leaf succulence.
肉质叶长期以来一直引起生物学家的兴趣；为了定义肉质叶，了解叶肉质的进化轨迹和意义，以及为生活在干旱生境中的植物（特别是那些使用 CAM 光合作用的植物）储存水分的生态重要性，已经进行了大量的研究。尽管我们对模型系统中叶结构的分子基础的理解有了很大的进展，但对于叶肉质的分子调控却知之甚少。此外，叶肉质是一种抗旱避灾的特性，尚未完全用于作物改良。在这里，突出了不同文献之间的联系：关于细胞大小调节、血管模式决定以及细胞间水分运输的研究，对我们理解叶肉质有直接的影响。将叶片模式形成的功能基因组学与肉质物种的进化和生态学知识联系起来，将指导未来关于叶肉质的决定和维持的研究。
