Rainer Hedrich

Summary Stomatal movement involves ion transport across the plasma membrane (PM) and vacuolar membrane (VM) of guard cells. However, the coupling mechanisms of ion transporters in both membranes and their interplay with Ca 2+ and pH changes are largely unclear. Here, we investigated transporter networks in tobacco guard cells and mesophyll cells using multiparametric live‐cell ion imaging and computational simulations. K + and anion fluxes at both, PM and VM, affected H + and Ca 2+ , as changes in extracellular KCl or KNO 3 concentrations were accompanied by cytosolic and vacuolar pH shifts and changes in [Ca 2+ ] cyt and the membrane potential. At both membranes, the K + transporter networks mediated an antiport of K + and H + . By contrast, net transport of anions was accompanied by parallel H + transport, with differences in transport capacity for chloride and nitrate. Guard and mesophyll cells exhibited similarities in K + /H + transport but cell type‐specific differences in [H + ] cyt and pH‐dependent [Ca 2+ ] cyt signals. Computational cell biology models explained mechanistically the properties of transporter networks and the coupling of transport across the PM and VM. Our integrated approach indicates fundamental principles of coupled ion transport at membrane sandwiches to control H + /K + homeostasis and points to transceptor‐like Ca 2+ /H + ‐based ion signaling in plant cells.

Summary All plants are electrically excitable, but only few are known to fire a well‐defined, all‐or‐nothing action potential (AP). The Venus flytrap Dionaea muscipula displays APs with an extraordinarily high firing frequency and speed, enabling the capture organ of this carnivorous plant to catch small animals as fast as flies. The number of APs triggered by the prey is counted and serves as the basis for decisions within the flytrap's hunting cycle. The archetypical Dionaea AP lasts 1 s and consists of five phases: Starting from the resting state, an initial cytosolic Ca 2+ transient is followed by depolarization, repolarization and a transient hyperpolarization (overshoot) before the original membrane potential is finally recovered. When the flytrap matures and becomes excitable, a distinct set of ion channels, pumps and carriers is expressed, each mastering a distinct AP phase.