Dresden 2009 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 8: Developmental Processes

BP 8.3: Talk

Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 10:30–10:45, HÜL 186

Quantification of leaf vein patterning — •Karen Alim and Erwin Frey — Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics and CeNS, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universtät München, Theresienstr. 37, 80333 Munich, Germany

Vein networks are essential in transporting nutrition effectively into all cells of an organism. In plant leaves these vein networks are formed by the opposite transport mechanism, the retraction of the plant hormone auxin. The so formed auxin flow pattern is consistent with the vascular network of the mature leaf. Key factors in the non-uniform transport are the competition of auxin carriers within each cell and the coupling between auxin current and carrier location.

We investigate a microscopic model for the directed auxin transport by carrier proteins performing both computer simulations and analytic calculations. These enable us to identify the relevant biological processes which should be considered for leaf vein patterning. Quantitative results help us to suggest observables and experimental scenarios to measure the kinetic rates governing the active transport.