Wild Rose Gall - a house of thorns.

A gall is formed when an insect or mite bites into a leaf or stem of a plant. The plant responds with increased cell growth in that area in an attempt to heal the damaged tissues. There is something amazing going on between the plant and the attacking entity that causes the gall to form.

There are two possible explanations. The first involves the insect possessing the ability to secrete plant hormones which cause the plant to respond by growing in that particular area. The two hormones gibberellin and cytokinin may well be involved. What an amazing adaptation these organisms would have that they would be able to fool the plant into constructing a temporary residence for them!

The second explanation is even more peculiar. It seems that the gall's resident uses a process called lateral gene transfer, also called horizontal gene transfer. Genes are normally passed from cell to cell through mitosis or through meiosis which involves the unification of sperm and egg. In lateral gene transfer, genetic material is passed from one individual to another across different species.

I have to admit that I am out of my league when trying to fully understand what is going on with lateral gene transfer; it seems it is an area that is still being investigated. The general idea seems to revolve around a vector such as a virus or bacteria that allows particular genes from the mite or insect to be transferred to the plant cells where the individual is attached. These genes become part of the cellular genetics of the plant in the infected area and respond by producing a gall that encloses, feeds, and protects the inhabitant.

It is not unusual for a parent to deposit an egg with the associated vector agent; the relationship would be mutualistic and beneficial for both juvenile and microbe. Even in humans, newborns acquire gut bacteria from the mother through a variety of means. The whole concept of lateral gene transfer takes this idea up to a whole new level though. It is truly fascinating.

Thanks for reading.     Ericspix     Eric Svendsen

Comments

  1. Rich SilkMarch 2, 2021 at 7:07 PM

    Another cool thing in an endless sea of wonders. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Eric SvendsenMarch 2, 2021 at 8:20 PM

    I think we forget exactly how intricate the world is. We see the big and the large without understanding the tiny details around it all. We see birth as simple reproduction, until you realize that our 7 trillion cells come from a single cell, which wasn't even viable until fertilization happened, and that is an amazing thing in itself. The closer we look at something, the more we have to be in awe of.

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