Scientists Reveal Mechanism Behind Venus Flytrap’s Lightning-Fast Snap
Raleigh, NC – Researchers have cracked a key component of the Venus flytrap’s famously rapid response, pinpointing how the plant “remembers” a trigger pull and prepares to snap shut on unsuspecting prey. A new understanding of the plant’s electrical and chemical signaling-detailed in recent publications-could inspire innovations in bio-inspired robotics and sensor technology.
For decades, scientists have been captivated by the Venus flytrap’s ability to detect and react to stimuli with astonishing speed. The plant’s trap closes in less than a second when trigger hairs are touched twice within a short timeframe, preventing wasted energy on false alarms.While the electrical signaling involved was known,the precise mechanism behind this “short-term memory” remained elusive. Recent breakthroughs, building on work dating back to 2020, are now illuminating the process.
In 2020,a team of Japanese researchers genetically modified Venus flytraps to express GCaMP6,a calcium sensor protein that glows green when it binds to calcium. This allowed them to visually track calcium concentration changes within the leaf cells when the plant’s trigger hairs were stimulated. The team observed that fluctuations in calcium levels appear to function as a temporary memory, signaling the plant to prepare for closure. Though, the connection between these calcium signals and the plant’s broader electrical network was still unclear.
Further examination in 2023, utilizing a newly developed bioelectronic device, mapped the propagation of electrical signals throughout the Venus flytrap. Scientists confirmed that signals originate in the sensory hairs and radiate outward, without a specific directional preference. Notably, they also discovered spontaneous electrical activity originating from unstimulated hairs, suggesting a more complex signaling system than previously understood.
These findings demonstrate that the Venus flytrap doesn’t simply react to touch, but actively processes details through a dynamic interplay of electrical and chemical signals. The plant’s ability to integrate multiple stimuli and maintain a brief “memory” of those stimuli is a remarkable feat of biological engineering. Researchers anticipate that a deeper understanding of this process could lead to the progress of more sensitive and efficient sensors, as well as bio-inspired robotic systems capable of rapid and adaptive responses.
