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The ability of plants to absorb water through leaves has been a matter of the sientific discussion for a long time. Among the epiphytic species (tilandsies for example), reduced root system and foliar water uptake (FWU) is considered an adaptation for life in soil-less environment, and FWU is a necesssity. It was surprising, that the same ability has been discovered in plant species with normally developed root system. Over the time, new pieces of evidence about FWU in broad range of plant species has been published and FWU is getting universal for all plants, across the taxonomic groups or biomes, including temperate zone. The systematic focus on FWU and continuity of its research is lacking and therefore the knowledge about FWU is still only partial. This bachelor's thesis is focused on mechanisms of FWU and the leaf structures that may mediate it. The ability of water to pervade cuticle through aquatic pores is discussed, together with the possibility of water absorption by stomata, trichomes, hydathodes or epiphylic organisms. Another discussed topic is the use of this water by plant - improving of the water regime, refilling of the embolized xylem vessels, possible exudation by roots etc. The matter of FWU has other consequences on the ecosystem level, like in water cycle or the plant's...

Exocyst is protein complex evolutionary conserved in yeasts, animals and plants, which plays a role in control of cell morphogenesis and polarity. It is a tethering complex whose function is to attach secretory vesicles to specifi c foci on plasma membrane. Complex exocyst is formed by eight subunits. Subunit EXO70 is encoded by 23 paralogue genes in genome of Arabidopsis thaliana. Mutation in paralogue subunit EX070H4 causes defect in trichome maturation. Mutant trichomes have thin, not reinforced cell wall, making them soft and elastic. Transcription of EXO70H4 gene is induced by UV radiation, therefore observations of plants cultivated on UV-B radiation were done. Analysis of mutants cultivated on UV-B radiation revealed hyperaccumulation of vesicules in cytoplasm, which were visible by light microscope. Hyperaccumulation was not observed in control plants cultivated on UV-B radiation, but thickening of cell wall was induced. Th is reaction to UV in trichomes hasn't been described yet. Analysis of cellular localization made with YFP tagged constructs revealed that EXO70H4 localizes into mobile corpuscules associating with Golgi apparatus. It was found with yeast two hybrid system that EXO70H4 interacts with TRS120, subunit of tethering complex TRAPPII which is active in Golgi apparatus....

The cells are able to acquire variety of shapes, in which cytoskeleton plays an important role. Cytoskeleton influences deposition of cell wall materials, regulates vesicle movement in cell, participates in exocytosis and endocytosis. Cortical microtubules affect celulose accumulation in cell wall and determine direction of cell expansion, although the exact connection between microtubules and cellulose remains unclear. Actin promotes growth and contributes to its spatial regulation in both tip ang diffuse growing cells. Actin is important for secretion in expanding cells but its exact functions in cell growth regulation are not explained yet. Analysis of mutants, spectroscopic methods, cytoskeletal drugs, fluorescence proteins and other methods are used to better understand how actin and microtubule cytoskeleton are integrated during plant cell morphogenesis. Epidermal and trichome cells of Arabidopsis thaliana are a good model of research and they are used for most studies.

This study examines the role of deffensive host-plant traits in structuring the community of leaf-chewing insects living on willows. Host-plant phylogeny was reconstructed and leaf morphology and content of three different groups of secondary metabolites were measured. Relationships between defensive leaf traits were examined and their influence on insect community structure was analyzed.

The communities of leaf-chewing insect on willows were studied. The effect of host-plant phylogeny, leaf morphology and secondary metabolites on community structure was examined.

Plant epidermal cells form contact area of the plant, they protect it from impacts of surrounding environment and they mediate the communication with its neighbourhood. In the epidermis there are evenly distributed several cell types with quite specialized morphology (pavement cells, trichomes and guard cells) due to the polarization mechanisms. The cytoskeleton and signal molecules of ROP GTPase family promote the polarized growth. Thanks to polarized growth the cells reach their shapes. The cytoskeleton responds to the signal by expanding the cell, helps with targeting of the secretion to the sites of active growth and mediates polarized formation of the cell wall. On the upper side of the epidermis the cuticle and layer of epicuticular waxex is secreted. The secretion of cuticular components is baso-apicaly polarized. This work summarizes the mechanisms of the polarization in plant epidermal cells discoverd untill now.