Effects of weak static magnetic fields on the gene expression of seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana

2018 · Mixed · Low evidence

← Research stream

MixedLow evidencePaper 2010

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2018

Study typeanimal

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Effects of weak static magnetic fields on the gene expression of seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana Dhiman SK, Galland P. Effects of weak static magnetic fields on the gene expression of seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana. J Plant Physiol. 2018 Sep 3;231:9-18. doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2018.08.016. Abstract Magnetic-field reception of animals and plants is currently discussed in the framework of a cryptochrome-based radical-pair mechanism. Efforts to unravel magnetoreception in plants suffered historically from several shortcomings, most prominently, the conspicuous absence of detailed stimulus-response relationships. To determine the sensitivity of seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana to weak static magnetic fields we generated stimulus-response curves between near zero and 188 μT for the transcript levels of the genes rbcl, cab4, pal4 and ef1. The moderate magneto-responsiveness of dark-grown seedlings was greatly enhanced under blue light, and for rbcl and pal4 also under red light. The stimulus-response curves obtained under blue light of constant photon-fluence rate displayed multiple maxima and thus a pattern fundamentally different from that prevalent in plant and animal physiology. A double mutant lacking cryptochromes 1 and 2 displayed altered stimulus- response curves without losing, however, magneto-responsiveness completely. A reversal of the magnetic field direction substantially affected the gene expression and the quantity of CAB-protein (chlorophyll a,b-binding protein). The majority of our results are at variance with the notion of cryptochromes acting as the only magnetic-field sensors. They do not, however, exclude the possibility that cryptochromes participate in the magnetic field reception of Arabidopsis. The findings have the unexpected implication that cryptochrome- and phytochrome-mediated plant responses can be modulated by the strength and the orientation of the local geomagnetic field. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal

Effect directionmixed

PopulationSeedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana (including a double mutant lacking cryptochromes 1 and 2)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Stimulus-response curves were generated between near zero and 188 μT for transcript levels of rbcl, cab4, pal4 and ef1. Magneto-responsiveness of dark-grown seedlings was enhanced under blue light, and for rbcl and pal4 also under red light; reversing magnetic field direction substantially affected gene expression and CAB-protein quantity. A cryptochrome 1/2 double mutant showed altered stimulus-response curves but retained magneto-responsiveness.

Outcomes measured

Transcript levels (gene expression) of rbcl, cab4, pal4, ef1
Quantity of CAB-protein (chlorophyll a,b-binding protein)

Limitations

Sample size not reported in provided abstract
Exposure duration and detailed exposure conditions not fully specified in provided abstract
Study is in plants; generalizability to humans not addressed

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": "other",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana (including a double mutant lacking cryptochromes 1 and 2)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Transcript levels (gene expression) of rbcl, cab4, pal4, ef1",
    "Quantity of CAB-protein (chlorophyll a,b-binding protein)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Stimulus-response curves were generated between near zero and 188 μT for transcript levels of rbcl, cab4, pal4 and ef1. Magneto-responsiveness of dark-grown seedlings was enhanced under blue light, and for rbcl and pal4 also under red light; reversing magnetic field direction substantially affected gene expression and CAB-protein quantity. A cryptochrome 1/2 double mutant showed altered stimulus-response curves but retained magneto-responsiveness.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Sample size not reported in provided abstract",
    "Exposure duration and detailed exposure conditions not fully specified in provided abstract",
    "Study is in plants; generalizability to humans not addressed"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "static magnetic field",
    "weak magnetic fields",
    "Arabidopsis thaliana",
    "gene expression",
    "rbcl",
    "cab4",
    "pal4",
    "ef1",
    "cryptochrome",
    "phytochrome",
    "blue light",
    "red light",
    "stimulus-response curve",
    "geomagnetic field",
    "field orientation"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2018.08.016
PubMed: Not supplied

Read the original paper →

Related papers

← Back to the Research Library