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Journal of Plant Research Jan 2021Plant movements are generally slow, but some plant species have evolved the ability to move very rapidly at speeds comparable to those of animals. Whereas movement in... (Review)
Review
Plant movements are generally slow, but some plant species have evolved the ability to move very rapidly at speeds comparable to those of animals. Whereas movement in animals relies on the contraction machinery of muscles, many plant movements use turgor pressure as the primary driving force together with secondarily generated elastic forces. The movement of stomata is the best-characterized model system for studying turgor-driven movement, and many gene products responsible for this movement, especially those related to ion transport, have been identified. Similar gene products were recently shown to function in the daily sleep movements of pulvini, the motor organs for macroscopic leaf movements. However, it is difficult to explain the mechanisms behind rapid multicellular movements as a simple extension of the mechanisms used for unicellular or slow movements. For example, water transport through plant tissues imposes a limit on the speed of plant movements, which becomes more severe as the size of the moving part increases. Rapidly moving traps in carnivorous plants overcome this limitation with the aid of the mechanical behaviors of their three-dimensional structures. In addition to a mechanism for rapid deformation, rapid multicellular movements also require a molecular system for rapid cell-cell communication, along with a mechanosensing system that initiates the response. Electrical activities similar to animal action potentials are found in many plant species, representing promising candidates for the rapid cell-cell signaling behind rapid movements, but the molecular entities of these electrical signals remain obscure. Here we review the current understanding of rapid plant movements with the aim of encouraging further biological studies into this fascinating, challenging topic.
Topics: Animals; Models, Biological; Movement; Plant Leaves; Plants
PubMed: 33415544
DOI: 10.1007/s10265-020-01243-7 -
Antioxidants & Redox Signaling Mar 2018Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are thiol peroxidases with multiple functions in the antioxidant defense and redox signaling network of the cell. Our progressing understanding... (Review)
Review
SIGNIFICANCE
Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are thiol peroxidases with multiple functions in the antioxidant defense and redox signaling network of the cell. Our progressing understanding assigns both local and global significance to plant Prxs, which are grouped in four Prx types. In plants they are localized to the cytosol, mitochondrion, plastid, and nucleus. Antioxidant defense is fundamentally connected to redox signaling, cellular communication, and acclimation. The thiol-disulfide network is central part of the stress sensing and processing response and integrates information input with redox regulation. Recent Advances: Prxs function both as redox sensory system within the network and redox-dependent interactors. The processes directly or indirectly targeted by Prxs include gene expression, post-transcriptional reactions, including translation, post-translational regulation, and switching or tuning of metabolic pathways, and other cell activities. The most advanced knowledge is available for the chloroplast 2-CysPrx wherein recently a solid interactome has been defined. An in silico analysis of protein structure and coexpression reinforces new insights into the 2-CysPrx functionality.
CRITICAL ISSUES
Up to now, Prxs often have been investigated for local properties of enzyme activity. In vitro and ex vivo work with mutants will reveal the ability of Prxs to interfere with multiple cellular components, including crosstalk with Ca-linked signaling pathways, hormone signaling, and protein homeostasis.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Complementation of the Prxs knockout lines with variants that mimic specific states, namely devoid of peroxidase activity, lacking the oligomerization ability, resembling the hyperoxidized decamer, or with truncated C-terminus, should allow dissecting the roles as thiol peroxidase, oxidant, interaction partner, and chaperone. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 609-624.
Topics: Antioxidants; Chloroplasts; Molecular Chaperones; Oxidation-Reduction; Peroxidase; Peroxiredoxins; Photosynthesis; Plants
PubMed: 28594234
DOI: 10.1089/ars.2017.7164 -
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal... May 2022Sex chromosomes in plants have often been contrasted with those in animals with the goal of identifying key differences that can be used to elucidate fundamental... (Review)
Review
Sex chromosomes in plants have often been contrasted with those in animals with the goal of identifying key differences that can be used to elucidate fundamental evolutionary properties. For example, the often homomorphic sex chromosomes in plants have been compared to the highly divergent systems in some animal model systems, such as birds, and therian mammals, with many hypotheses offered to explain the apparent dissimilarities, including the younger age of plant sex chromosomes, the lesser prevalence of sexual dimorphism, or the greater extent of haploid selection. Furthermore, many plant sex chromosomes lack complete sex chromosome dosage compensation observed in some animals, including therian mammals, some poeciliids, and , and plant dosage compensation, where it exists, appears to be incomplete. Even the canonical theoretical models of sex chromosome formation differ somewhat between plants and animals. However, the highly divergent sex chromosomes observed in some animal groups are actually the exception, not the norm, and many animal clades are far more similar to plants in their sex chromosome patterns. This begs the question of how different are plant and animal sex chromosomes, and which of the many unique properties of plants would be expected to affect sex chromosome evolution differently than animals? In fact, plant and animal sex chromosomes exhibit more similarities than differences, and it is not at all clear that they differ in terms of sexual conflict, dosage compensation, or even degree of divergence. Overall, the largest difference between these two groups is the greater potential for haploid selection in plants compared to animals. This may act to accelerate the expansion of the non-recombining region at the same time that it maintains gene function within it. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sex determination and sex chromosome evolution in land plants'.
Topics: Animals; Chromosomes, Plant; Dosage Compensation, Genetic; Drosophila; Evolution, Molecular; Mammals; Plants; Sex Chromosomes
PubMed: 35306885
DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0218 -
Biomolecules Dec 2023Plant peptides are a new frontier in plant biology, owing to their key regulatory roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Synthetic peptides are... (Review)
Review
Plant peptides are a new frontier in plant biology, owing to their key regulatory roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Synthetic peptides are promising biological agents that can be used to improve crop growth and protection in an environmentally sustainable manner. Plant regulatory peptides identified in pioneering research, including systemin, PSK, HypSys, RALPH, Pep1, CLV3, TDIF, CLE, and RGF/GLV/CLEL, hold promise for crop improvement as potent regulators of plant growth and defense. Mass spectrometry and bioinformatics are greatly facilitating the discovery and identification of new plant peptides. The biological functions of most novel plant peptides remain to be elucidated. Bioassays are an essential part in studying the biological activity of identified and putative plant peptides. Root growth assays and cultivated plant cell cultures are widely used to evaluate the regulatory potential of plant peptides during growth, differentiation, and stress reactions. These bioassays can be used as universal approaches for screening peptides from different plant species. Development of high-throughput bioassays can facilitate the screening of large numbers of identified and putative plant peptides, which have recently been discovered but remain uncharacterized for biological activity.
Topics: Peptides; Plants; Plant Development; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
PubMed: 38136666
DOI: 10.3390/biom13121795 -
Current Opinion in Plant Biology Apr 2022Enrichment of foodstuffs with health-promoting metabolites such as carotenoids is a powerful tool to fight against unhealthy eating habits. Dietary carotenoids are... (Review)
Review
Enrichment of foodstuffs with health-promoting metabolites such as carotenoids is a powerful tool to fight against unhealthy eating habits. Dietary carotenoids are vitamin A precursors and reduce risk of several chronical diseases. Additionally, carotenoids and their cleavage products (apocarotenoids) are used as natural pigments and flavors by the agrofood industry. In the last few years, major advances have been made in our understanding of how plants make and store carotenoids in their natural compartments, the plastids. In part, this knowledge has been acquired by using transient expression systems, notably agroinfiltration and viral vectors. These techniques allow profound changes in the carotenoid profile of plant tissues at the desired developmental stage, hence preventing interference with normal plant growth and development. Here we review how transient expression approaches have contributed to learn about the structure and regulation of plant carotenoid biosynthesis and to rewire carotenoid metabolism and storage for efficient biofortification of plant tissues.
Topics: Biofortification; Carotenoids; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Lipid Metabolism; Plants; Plastids
PubMed: 35183926
DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102190 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2021B-box proteins represent diverse zinc finger transcription factors and regulators forming large families in various plants. A unique domain structure defines... (Review)
Review
B-box proteins represent diverse zinc finger transcription factors and regulators forming large families in various plants. A unique domain structure defines them-besides the highly conserved B-box domains, some B-box (BBX) proteins also possess CCT domain and VP motif. Based on the presence of these specific domains, they are mostly classified into five structural groups. The particular members widely differ in structure and fulfill distinct functions in regulating plant growth and development, including seedling photomorphogenesis, the anthocyanins biosynthesis, photoperiodic regulation of flowering, and hormonal pathways. Several BBX proteins are additionally involved in biotic and abiotic stress response. Overexpression of some genes stimulates various stress-related genes and enhanced tolerance to different stresses. Moreover, there is evidence of interplay between B-box and the circadian clock mechanism. This review highlights the role of BBX proteins as a part of a broad regulatory network in crop plants, considering their participation in development, physiology, defense, and environmental constraints. A description is also provided of how various BBX regulators involved in stress tolerance were applied in genetic engineering to obtain stress tolerance in transgenic crops.
Topics: Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Multigene Family; Plant Development; Plants, Genetically Modified; Seedlings; Stress, Physiological; Zinc Fingers
PubMed: 33809370
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062906 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jan 2020Pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), herbivore-associated molecular patterns (HAMPs), and damage-associated... (Review)
Review
Pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), herbivore-associated molecular patterns (HAMPs), and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are molecules produced by microorganisms and insects in the event of infection, microbial priming, and insect predation. These molecules are then recognized by receptor molecules on or within the plant, which activates the defense signaling pathways, resulting in plant's ability to overcome pathogenic invasion, induce systemic resistance, and protect against insect predation and damage. These small molecular motifs are conserved in all organisms. Fungi, bacteria, and insects have their own specific molecular patterns that induce defenses in plants. Most of the molecular patterns are either present as part of the pathogen's structure or exudates (in bacteria and fungi), or insect saliva and honeydew. Since biotic stresses such as pathogens and insects can impair crop yield and production, understanding the interaction between these organisms and the host via the elicitor-receptor interaction is essential to equip us with the knowledge necessary to design durable resistance in plants. In addition, it is also important to look into the role played by beneficial microbes and synthetic elicitors in activating plants' defense and protection against disease and predation. This review addresses receptors, elicitors, and the receptor-elicitor interactions where these components in fungi, bacteria, and insects will be elaborated, giving special emphasis to the molecules, responses, and mechanisms at play, variations between organisms where applicable, and applications and prospects.
Topics: Alarmins; Animals; Disease Resistance; Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules; Plant Immunity; Plant Proteins; Plants; Receptors, Pattern Recognition
PubMed: 32024003
DOI: 10.3390/ijms21030963 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2018Of the many ways that plants interact with microbes, three aspects are highlighted in this issue: interactions where the plant benefits from the microbes, interactions...
Of the many ways that plants interact with microbes, three aspects are highlighted in this issue: interactions where the plant benefits from the microbes, interactions where the plant suffers, and interactions where the plant serves as habitat for microbial communities. In this editorial, the fourteen articles published in the Special Issue Plant⁻Microbe Interaction 2017 are summarized and discussed as part of the global picture of the current understanding of plant-microbe interactions.
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Microbial Interactions; Microbiota; Plants; Rhodopsin; Streptomyces; Transcriptome
PubMed: 29734724
DOI: 10.3390/ijms19051374 -
Chemical Reviews Feb 2022Life in our planet is highly dependent on plants as they are the primary source of food, regulators of the atmosphere, and providers of a variety of materials. In this... (Review)
Review
Life in our planet is highly dependent on plants as they are the primary source of food, regulators of the atmosphere, and providers of a variety of materials. In this work, we review the progress on bioelectronic devices for plants and biohybrid systems based on plants, therefore discussing advancements that view plants either from a biological or a technological perspective, respectively. We give an overview on wearable and implantable bioelectronic devices for monitoring and modulating plant physiology that can be used as tools in basic plant science or find application in agriculture. Furthermore, we discuss plant-wearable devices for monitoring a plant's microenvironment that will enable optimization of growth conditions. The review then covers plant biohybrid systems where plants are an integral part of devices or are converted to devices upon functionalization with smart materials, including self-organized electronics, plant nanobionics, and energy applications. The review focuses on advancements based on organic electronic and carbon-based materials and discusses opportunities, challenges, as well as future steps.
Topics: Carbon; Electronics; Plants; Wearable Electronic Devices
PubMed: 34928592
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00525 -
EMBO Reports Sep 2023Plants interact with a diversity of microorganisms that influence their growth and resilience, and they can therefore be considered as ecological entities, namely "plant... (Review)
Review
Plants interact with a diversity of microorganisms that influence their growth and resilience, and they can therefore be considered as ecological entities, namely "plant holobionts," rather than as singular organisms. In a plant holobiont, the assembly of above- and belowground microbiota is ruled by host, microbial, and environmental factors. Upon microorganism perception, plants activate immune signaling resulting in the secretion of factors that modulate microbiota composition. Additionally, metabolic interdependencies and antagonism between microbes are driving forces for community assemblies. We argue that complex plant-microbe and intermicrobial interactions have been selected for during evolution and may promote the survival and fitness of plants and their associated microorganisms as holobionts. As part of this process, plants evolved metabolite-mediated strategies to selectively recruit beneficial microorganisms in their microbiota. Some of these microbiota members show host-adaptation, from which mutualism may rapidly arise. In the holobiont, microbiota members also co-evolved antagonistic activities that restrict proliferation of microbes with high pathogenic potential and can therefore prevent disease development. Co-evolution within holobionts thus ultimately drives plant performance.
Topics: Plants; Microbiota; Symbiosis
PubMed: 37471099
DOI: 10.15252/embr.202357455