Imaging of multiple plant hormones using mass spectrometry imaging

Abstract

Plant hormones can act in synergistic and antagonistic ways in response to biotic and abiotic stresses and in plant growth and development.　Thus, a technique is needed to determine the distributions and concentrations of several plant hormones simultaneously.　A relatively new technology, mass spectrometry imaging （MSI）, enables acquisition of direct mapping and imaging of biomolecules that are present in tissue sections.　MSI enables the simultaneous detection of multiple analytes on a single section of plant tissue, even in the absence of target-specific markers, such as antibodies.　Recently, MSI has been used to localize multi-plant hormones that are small molecules （m/z < 500）.　Here, we illustrate a technology of multiple-hormone imaging using MSI and discuss the potential for investigating the roles of hormone signaling in plant development and stress responses.