arabidopsis

For Photodotes III: Plug-n-Plant, Kristophe Diaz, plant scientist and biologist proposed to use Arabidopsis Thaliana. Kristophe has been working with this plant for many years at The Plant Lab in UMass. Studio Z visited the lab and documented the stages of Arabidopsis plant growth. 

Image credits: Joe Belcovson/ Salk Institute for Biological Studies (Source: Newswise)

Arabidopsis is a beautiful plant and a well known model system is science. Like in the case of the mouse, arabidopsis is used by the scientists for knowledge. Joe Kunkel, from UMass writes about what a model system is in biology:  

"We are unlikely to ever know everything about every organism. Therefore, we should agree on some convenient organism(s) to study in great depth, so that we can use the experience of the past (in that organism) to build on in the future. This will lead to a body of knowledge in that 'model system' that allows us to design appropriate studies of non-model systems to answer important questions about their biology."

According to Kunkel criteria to classify something as a model system may be the small size, low expenses for operation, short life cycle, use as genetic manipulable, audience's interest, and so on. Although NSF does not consider arabidopsis as an economically important plant, it has approved it as a model plant: 

"As a photosynthetic organism, Arabidopsis requires only light, air, water and a few minerals to complete its life cycle. It has a fast life cycle, produces numerous self progeny, has very limited space requirements, and is easily grown in a greenhouse or indoor growth chamber. It possesses a relatively small, genetically tractable genome that can be manipulated through genetic engineering more easily and rapidly than any other plant genome...With the knowledge we gain from the model plant thus established as a reference system, we can move forward with research and rapidly initiate improvements in plants of economic and cultural importance."

Number of Times Arabidopsis is mentioned in Science. Graph via Kristophe Diaz

 

Arabidopsis is a member of the mustard (Brassicaceae) family, which includes cultivated species such as cabbage and radish. From Wikipedia: 

"Brassicaceae, a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants (Angiosperms), are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family. The name Brassicaceae is derived from the included genus Brassica. Cruciferae, an older name, meaning "cross-bearing", describes the four petals of mustard flowers, which are reminiscent of a cross."

The etymology of the word arabidopsis is Greek and linked to opsis/ όψη, meaning form/ morph, and the Arabis (New Latin, from Greek arabis (fem) of Arabia) genus in which Linnaeus had initially placed it.The Arabis genus plants were initially found in Arabia. The meaning and origin of the word Arab (first found in the Greek literature) is quite an interesting exploration itself, although it is not certain if this origin is linked (at all) to the characteristics of these plants. One of the meanings has to do with nomad/ nomadism.  If one accepts that a nomad is usually a flexible creature, then one expects these plants to have strong adaptability. Could this potential adaptive character of the plant may be what makes Arabidopsis to qualify as a model system? 

When referred to these plants and their growth under different conditions, Diaz, often mentions the word "stress" which is an interesting concept to think in relation to plants. David Robert from MIT Media Lab has referred to plants' intelligence and their feelings in many of his presentations and art-works like the recent Anthopodecentric Net Study, performed/ presented at the rooftop of the MIT Cecil and Ida Green Building/ Building 54 designed by I.M.Pei. Robert referred to that overlap or gray zone between art and science where issues related to plants and their feelings/ intelligence are not very clear. To further highlight this significance, he projected his presentation on the spherical radome (communication radar instrument) of the iconic building. He referred to Arabidopsis and also discussed issues like the metaphysical Object- Oriented Ontology (OOO) movement, plants' rights, and other topics that support his non-human-centered theory.

Maria Cecilia Aguilar Holt, a historian of Christianity, and also PhD candidate from Harvard Divinity School, from Philippines, revealed the humble aspect of the plants, based on her knowledge on the symbolism found in the Mustard Seeds parable. From Wikipedia one can find the parable as it appears in the Gospel of Matthew:

He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches."

Matthew 13:31–32, World English Bible

Beyond the humble yet powerful nature of the mustard seeds, when discussing Photodotes III, Aguilar Holt also mentioned issues of vulnerability, life, and death, and empathy. Indeed, Photodotes III is living wall, where organic plants co-exist with the architectural structure. The plants are there to document the presence of the ever-changing natural light through their growth and evolution and to also provide edible nature to residents. Mustard night explored a series of culinary creations through recipes based on mustard seeds and mustard that promote a healthy and tasteful living.

Arabidopsis Life-Cycle by Kristophe Diaz

Note: 
Many of the ideas presented in this text derived through discussions together with Kristophe Diaz.

References: 

Kristophe Diaz: http://www.kristophediaz.com/

National Institutes of Health (NIH):  http://www.nih.gov/science/models/arabidopsis/index.html

National Science Foundation (NSF): http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/bio0202/model.htm

Elliot Meyerowitz: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~plantlab/research.html

Wikipedia: Arabidopsis, Arabidopsis Thaliana, Brassicaceae, Arabis

UMass: http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/kunkel/modelsys.html

Maarten Koorneef, and Ben Scheres, Arabidopsis Thaliana as an Experiemental Organism