We examined the effects of mechanical load on transcripts of a set of cell wall related genes that are implicated in the formation of supporting tissues, by applying a 50 mg strip of aluminum foil to the inflorescence stem of Arabidopsis thaliana, a weight roughly half the fresh weight of the stem. Transcript levels of 12 of the 15 genes examined were increased by load application, as were the levels of some transcription factors that regulate secondary wall formation. These findings support the involvement of a load-sensing system in regulation of supporting tissue formation via transcriptional regulation of cell wall related genes.
