Circadian variations in biologically closed electrochemical circuits in Aloe vera and Mimosa pudica

Alexander G. Volkov, Kara Baker, Justin C. Foster, Jacqueline Clemmons, Emil Jovanov, Vladislav S. Markin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

The circadian clock regulates a wide range of electrophysiological and developmental processes in plants. This paper presents, for the first time, the direct influence of a circadian clock on biologically closed electrochemical circuits in vivo. Here we show circadian variation of the plant responses to electrical stimulation. The biologically closed electrochemical circuits in the leaves of Aloe vera and Mimosa pudica, which regulate their physiology, were analyzed using the charge stimulation method. The electrostimulation was provided with different timing and different voltages. Resistance between Ag/AgCl electrodes in the leaf of Aloe vera was higher during the day than at night. Discharge of the capacitor in Aloe vera at night was faster than during the day. Discharge of the capacitor in a pulvinus of Mimosa pudica was faster during the day. The biologically closed electrical circuits with voltage gated ion channels in Mimosa pudica are also activated the next day, even in the darkness. These results show that the circadian clock can be maintained endogenously and has electrochemical oscillators, which can activate ion channels in biologically closed electrochemical circuits. We present the equivalent electrical circuits in both plants and their circadian variation to explain the experimental data.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)39-45
Number of pages7
JournalBioelectrochemistry
Volume81
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2011

Keywords

  • Aloe vera
  • Charge stimulation method
  • Circadian clock
  • Electrostimulation
  • Mimosa pudica

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Electrochemistry

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