Hiraku Suda

Abstract The tactile sense is essential for living organisms. However, the molecular mechanisms of mechanosensing in plants remain unclear. The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), a carnivorous plant, possesses mechanosensitive organs called sensory hairs. After sensing a touch stimulus, the hair generates an action potential (AP) and a long-range calcium signal that propagate to the leaf blade, triggering leaf movement to catch prey after two successive calcium signals.

Abstract The leaves of the carnivorous plant Venus flytrap, Dionaea muscipula (Dionaea) close rapidly to capture insect prey. The closure response usually requires two successive mechanical stimuli to sensory hairs on the leaf blade within approximately 30 s (refs. 1,2,3,4). An unknown biological system in Dionaea is thought to memorize the first stimulus and transduce the signal from the sensory hair to the leaf blade2.