Effect of abscisic acid on stomatal opening in isolated epidermal strips of abi mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana

Abscisic acid-insensitive mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana L. var. Landsberg erecta were selected for their decreased sensitivity to ABA during germination. Two of these mutants, abi-1 and abi-2, display a wilty phenotype as adult plants, indicating disturbed water relations. Experiments were undertaken to find out if this results from insensitivity of mutant stomates to ABA. Growth conditions and methods to isolate epidermal strips were optimized to study stomatal movement. Wild type stomates required external ionic conditions comparable to those found for other species such as Commelina communis. The largest light-induced opening of A. thaliana stomates was found at an external KCl concentration of 50 mM. Stomatal apertures were increased by lowering external Ca2+ to 0.05 mM. The apertures of stomates incubated with 10 mu M ABA were not altered by changes in Ca2+ from 0.05 to 1.0 mM. Stomates of all abi mutants showed a light-stimulated stomatal opening. The opening of wild type and abi-3 stomates was inhibited by ABA, while stomates of abi-1 and abi-2 did not respond to ABA. The insensitivity of abi-1 and abi-2 stomates to ABA may thus explain the observed disturbed water relations.