植物表皮蜡质与抗旱及其分子生物学

Plant Epicuticular Wax and Drought Resistance as Well as Its Molecular Biology

植物表皮蜡质是覆盖在植物最外层的一类有机混合物总称,它是植物自我防护的最后一道屏障,在植物生长发育过程中起重要作用。文章就植物表皮蜡质的成分、转运、晶体的形成和发育、形态结构以及环境变化对表皮蜡质的影响,特别是在蜡质与角质蒸腾、叶片水分利用效率和产量的关系以及蜡质的生理作用和合成过程的分子生物学研究进展方面做了系统综述,并对植物蜡质研究中存在的问题做了探讨。

Plant epicuticular wax is a collective term used to describe the organic components of the cuticle which covers the outer surface of aerial plant tissues. It is also the last defensive barrier of plant, playing important roles in plant growth and development. The components, transport, crystal formation and morpho-ultrastructure of plant epicuticular wax as well as the investigations concerning the relationship between epicuticular wax and adaptations to environment are reviewed. Especially, we systematically summarized the relationships among wax, cutin transpiration, leaf WUE and yield and the progresses in the physiological and molecular biology research regarding wax; we also discussed the problems existing in wax research.