Rabi A. Musah, Ashton D. Lesiak, Max J. Maron, Robert B. Cody, David Edwards, Kristen L. Fowble, A. John Dane, Michael C. Long

The roots of the "shy plant" Mimosa pudica L. emit a cocktail of small organic and inorganic sulfur compounds into the environment, including SO2, methylsulfinic acid, pyruvic acid, lactic acid, ethanesulfinic acid, propane sulfinic acid, 2-mercaptoaniline, S-propyl propane 1-thiosulfinate, and thioformaldehyde, an elusive and highly unstable compound never before reported to be emitted by a plant. When soil around the roots is dislodged or when seedling roots are touched, an odor is detected. The perceived odor corresponds to emission of higher amounts of propanesulfenic acid, 2-mercaptoaniline, S-propyl propane 1-thiosulfinate, and phenothiazine. The mechanosensitivity response is selective. Whereas touching the roots with soil or human skin resulted in odor detection, agitating the roots with other materials such as glass did not induce a similar response. Light and electron microscopy studies revealed the presence of microscopic sac-like root protuberances. Elemental analysis of these hairs by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed them to contain higher levels of K+ and Cl- compared to the surrounding tissue. Exposing the hairs to stimuli that caused in odor emission resulted in a reduction in the levels of K+ and Cl- in the touched area. The mechanistic implications of the variety of sulfur compounds observed vis-à-vis the pathways for their formation are discussed.