The total hunting cycle of the Venus flytrap consists of the following 5 stages: open state, closed state, locked state, constriction and digestion state, and the semi-open state. The opening of the trap after digestion consists of two steps: the opening of the lobes and the changing of their curvature from a concave shape to a convex shape. Each stage of the hunting cycle has different electrical characteristics. The biologically closed electrochemical circuits in the Venus flytrap are analyzed using the charge-stimulating method. If the initial voltage applied to the Venus flytrap is 0.5V or greater, changing the polarity of the electrodes between the midrib and one of the lobes will result in a rectification effect and different kinetics of a capacitor discharge. These effects are due to the fast transport of ions through voltage gated ion channels. The electrical properties of the Venus flytrap were investigated. The equivalent electrochemical circuits, within the upper leaf, were proposed to explain the experimental data.

Electrochemical phenomena in the Venus flytrap

245th National Meeting (2013)

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