Assessing Abscisic Acid-Mediated Changes in Stomatal Aperture Through High-Quality Leaf Impressions

Abstract

Plants live in highly dynamic surroundings and need to cope with constant environmental challenges. In order to do so, they developed quick reactions to stress that allow them to gain time while mounting a major response. This first line of defense includes the stomata, leaf epidermal pores in charge of regulating water loss and photosynthesis. Stomatal movements are controlled by the stress phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA), which induces fast closure of the stomata upon perception of stress conditions. By modulating plasma membrane ion channels, ABA leads to loss of water from the guard cells surrounding the stomatal pore and a consequent reduction of its aperture. Here, we provide a microscopy-based method to assess the plant's response to ABA through measurements of the stomatal aperture. This protocol describes a simple, quick, and unexpensive method to prepare high-quality impressions of leaves from Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings from long-lasting silicone-based casts, allowing detailed imaging and accurate determination of the aperture of stomatal pores.

Keywords: Abiotic stress; Abscisic acid; Arabidopsis thaliana; Guard cells; Leaf impressions; Seedlings; Stomatal aperture.