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All forms of life are subjected to the laws of physics. As such, cells are exposed to a multitude of physical signals derived from mechanical conflicts between neighboring cells, external objects or organisms, or triggered by changes in chemical landscapes. These physical signals offer a rich context for cells to respond to both internal and external cues. While mechanisms underlying the perception of mechanical signals have been explored in considerable depth in some domains of life, there is relatively little insight into how plant cells perceive and respond to mechanical signals. At the same time, plant cells - with their large internal pressure and wall stiffness - offer an exciting comparative model system for understanding common and unique principles of mechanobiology across domains of life. I will describe ongoing efforts in our
team on exploring the mechanisms underlying mechanosensing and response in plants. I will describe how the identification of a novel cell polarity system led to new insights into how polarized protein polymers may relay mechanical signals during development. Furthermore, I will describe our ongoing efforts towards mapping immediate phosphorylation responses to mechanical signals, leading to the identification of potential mediators of mechanical signaling, including a candidate plant mechanosensor.
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