What is quantitative plant biology?

Abstract

Quantitative plant biology is an interdisciplinary field that builds on a long history of biomathematics and biophysics. Today, thanks to high spatiotemporal resolution tools and computational modelling, it sets a new standard in plant science. Acquired data, whether molecular, geometric or mechanical, are quantified, statistically assessed and integrated at multiple scales and across fields. They feed testable predictions that, in turn, guide further experimental tests. Quantitative features such as variability, noise, robustness, delays or feedback loops are included to account for the inner dynamics of plants and their interactions with the environment. Here, we present the main features of this ongoing revolution, through new questions around signalling networks, tissue topology, shape plasticity, biomechanics, bioenergetics, ecology and engineering. In the end, quantitative plant biology allows us to question and better understand our interactions with plants. In turn, this field opens the door to transdisciplinary projects with the society, notably through citizen science.

Tissue-targeted inorganic pyrophosphate hydrolysis in a fugu5 mutant reveals that excess inorganic pyrophosphate triggers developmental defects in a cell-autonomous manner

“…This has mechanical implications (e.g., see Onoda et al, 2015 ). More generally, the plant cells are enclosed by stiff cell walls, and the associated mechanical properties and signals should be integrated with genetic networks to fully understand their development ( Autran et al, 2021 ; Trinh et al, 2021 ; Nakayama et al, 2022 ). Unlike cylindrical flowering stems with a relatively limited flexibility in growth direction, flat leaves where the stress patterns are relatively isotropic can grow with a higher degree of freedom ( Zhang et al, 2011 ; Verger et al, 2018 ).…”

Skotomorphogenesis exploits threonine to promote hypocotyl elongation

“…This study reveals a new role of Thr in cell elongation, allowing for the first time the uncoupling of certain etiolated mechanisms using a quantitative metabolomic approach. Finally, our findings demonstrate the importance of quantitative plant biology approaches (Autran et al, 2021) in depicting and visualising the unseen side(s) of plant development and provide meaningful insight into uncharacterised regulatory mechanisms.…”

Leaf-size control beyond transcription factors: Compensatory mechanisms

“…Beyond molecule identity and interactions, the mechanical properties of plant cells and tissues should be regarded as an integral part of developmental signaling pathways. Advances in quantitative plant biology have allowed experimentation and modeling using plants ( Autran et al., 2021 ). Hence, the regulatory mechanisms at the crossroads of metabolism, morphogenesis, and mechanics should be integrated with genetic mechanisms to understand the multimodal drivers of leaf-size control ( Trinh et al., 2021 ; Nakayama et al., 2022 ).…”