Natures wonders: venus flytrap mechanism (Introduction)

by David Turell , Saturday, July 11, 2020, 00:58 (1595 days ago) @ David Turell

A finding that light touch can also work:

https://phys.org/news/2020-07-venus-flytraps-snap.html

A study led by researchers at the University of Zurich has now shown that a single slow touch also triggers trap closure—probably to catch slow-moving larvae and snails.

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"A new study from the University of Zurich (UZH) and ETH Zurich has now found another triggering mechanism. "Contrary to popular belief, slowly touching a trigger hair only once can also cause two signals and thus lead to the snapping of the trap," says co-last author Ueli Grossniklaus, director of the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at UZH.

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"When open, the lobes of the Venus flytrap's leaves are bent outwards and under strain—like a taut spring. The trigger signal leads to a minute change in the leaves' curvature, which makes the trap snap instantaneously. The electrical signals are generated by ion channels in the cell membrane, which transport atoms out of and into the cell.

"'We think that the ion channels stay open for as long as the membrane is mechanically stretched. If the deflection occurs slowly, the flow of ions is enough to trigger several signals, which causes the trap to close," explains co-first author Hannes Vogler, plant biologist at UZH. The newly discovered triggering mechanism could be a way for the Venus flytrap to catch slow-moving prey, such as larvae or snails."

Comment: Still no idea as to how this evolved. If the plant was following a trial and error method of development, it would have starved unless extremely lucky by figuring it out on a first try. Design is required