multicellular plant systems. Like in all other issues of this Springer Briefs series, the
contribution of experimentation in the almost stimulus-free environment of space
(microgravity) and on different microgravity-simulation platforms to our current
knowledge are highlighted and potentials for future research and applications as
well as open questions are addressed.
References
Baldwin IT (2010) Plant volatiles. Curr Biol 20:R392–R397
Bean B (1984) Microbial geotaxis. In: Colombetti G, Lenci F (eds) Membranes and sensory
transduction. Plenum Press, London, pp 163–198
Bechert J (2009) Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Gravitaxis und Phototaxis bei Ciliaten. PhD,
Bonn
Blancaflor EB, Masson PH (2003) Plant gravitropism. Unraveling the ups and downs of a complex
process. Plant Physiol 133:1677–1690
Bodanis D (2005) E¼mc
2
: a biography of the world’s most famous equation. Bloomsbury Publishing, London
Briggs WR (2014) Phototropism: some history, some puzzles, and a look ahead. Plant Physiol
164:13–23
Buder J (1920) Neue phototropische Fundamentalversuche. Berichte der Deutschen Botanischen
Gesellschaft 38:10–19
Bünning E (1955) Bewegungen. Fortschritte der Botanik 18:347–364
Buttinoni I, Volpe G, Kümmel F, Volpe G, Bechinger C (2012) Active Brownian motion tunable by
light. J Phys Condens Matter 24:284129
Clegg MR, Maberly SC, Jones RI (2003) Chemosensory behavioural response of freshwater
phytoplanktonic flagellates. Plant Cell Environ 27:123–135
Dusenbery DB (1985) Using a microcomputer and videocamera to simultaneously track 25 animals.
Comput Biol Med 15:169–175
Eapen D, Barroso ML, Ponce G, Campos ME, Cassab GI (2005) Hydrotropism: root growth
responses to water. Trends Plant Sci 10:44–50
Edelmann HG, Gudi G, Kühnemann F (2002) The gravitropic setpoint angle of dark-grown rye
seedlings and the role of ethylene. J Exp Bot 53:1627–2634
Everett M, Thimann KV (1968) Second positive phototropism in the Avena coleoptile. Plant
Physiol 43:1786–1792
Fenchel T, Finlay BJ (1984) Geotaxis in the ciliated protozoon Loxodes. J Exp Biol 110:17–33
Fiedler B, Börner T, Wilde A (2005) Phototaxis in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC
6803: role of different photoreceptors. Photochem Photobiol 81:1481–1488
heavy
mass
gravireceptor
amplification
enzyme
growth or
movement
response
Fig. 1.3 Sensory
transduction chain for
graviperception and
response involving a heavy
sedimenting mass, a
gravireceptor, signal
amplification and finally a
visible response
8
1 Gravity Sensing, Graviorientation and Microgravity
contribution of experimentation in the almost stimulus-free environment of space
(microgravity) and on different microgravity-simulation platforms to our current
knowledge are highlighted and potentials for future research and applications as
well as open questions are addressed.
References
Baldwin IT (2010) Plant volatiles. Curr Biol 20:R392–R397
Bean B (1984) Microbial geotaxis. In: Colombetti G, Lenci F (eds) Membranes and sensory
transduction. Plenum Press, London, pp 163–198
Bechert J (2009) Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Gravitaxis und Phototaxis bei Ciliaten. PhD,
Bonn
Blancaflor EB, Masson PH (2003) Plant gravitropism. Unraveling the ups and downs of a complex
process. Plant Physiol 133:1677–1690
Bodanis D (2005) E¼mc
2
: a biography of the world’s most famous equation. Bloomsbury Publishing, London
Briggs WR (2014) Phototropism: some history, some puzzles, and a look ahead. Plant Physiol
164:13–23
Buder J (1920) Neue phototropische Fundamentalversuche. Berichte der Deutschen Botanischen
Gesellschaft 38:10–19
Bünning E (1955) Bewegungen. Fortschritte der Botanik 18:347–364
Buttinoni I, Volpe G, Kümmel F, Volpe G, Bechinger C (2012) Active Brownian motion tunable by
light. J Phys Condens Matter 24:284129
Clegg MR, Maberly SC, Jones RI (2003) Chemosensory behavioural response of freshwater
phytoplanktonic flagellates. Plant Cell Environ 27:123–135
Dusenbery DB (1985) Using a microcomputer and videocamera to simultaneously track 25 animals.
Comput Biol Med 15:169–175
Eapen D, Barroso ML, Ponce G, Campos ME, Cassab GI (2005) Hydrotropism: root growth
responses to water. Trends Plant Sci 10:44–50
Edelmann HG, Gudi G, Kühnemann F (2002) The gravitropic setpoint angle of dark-grown rye
seedlings and the role of ethylene. J Exp Bot 53:1627–2634
Everett M, Thimann KV (1968) Second positive phototropism in the Avena coleoptile. Plant
Physiol 43:1786–1792
Fenchel T, Finlay BJ (1984) Geotaxis in the ciliated protozoon Loxodes. J Exp Biol 110:17–33
Fiedler B, Börner T, Wilde A (2005) Phototaxis in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC
6803: role of different photoreceptors. Photochem Photobiol 81:1481–1488
heavy
mass
gravireceptor
amplification
enzyme
growth or
movement
response
Fig. 1.3 Sensory
transduction chain for
graviperception and
response involving a heavy
sedimenting mass, a
gravireceptor, signal
amplification and finally a
visible response
8
1 Gravity Sensing, Graviorientation and Microgravity