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Biology Open Oct 2023Cell-cell communication is a central feature of multicellular organisms, enabling division of labour and coordinated responses. Plasmodesmata are membrane-lined pores... (Review)
Review
Cell-cell communication is a central feature of multicellular organisms, enabling division of labour and coordinated responses. Plasmodesmata are membrane-lined pores that provide regulated cytoplasmic continuity between plant cells, facilitating signalling and transport across neighboring cells. Plant development and survival profoundly depend on the existence and functioning of these structures, bringing them to the spotlight for both fundamental and applied research. Despite the rich conceptual and translational rewards in sight, however, the study of plasmodesmata poses significant challenges. This Review will mostly focus on research published between May 2022 and May 2023 and intends to provide a short overview of recent discoveries, innovations, community resources and hypotheses.
Topics: Plasmodesmata; Cell Communication; Signal Transduction; Plant Development; Biology
PubMed: 37874138
DOI: 10.1242/bio.060123 -
Science China. Life Sciences Nov 2022Efforts have been directed to redesign crops with increased yield, stress adaptability, and nutritional value through synthetic biology-the application of engineering... (Review)
Review
Efforts have been directed to redesign crops with increased yield, stress adaptability, and nutritional value through synthetic biology-the application of engineering principles to biology. A recent expansion in our understanding of how epigenetic mechanisms regulate plant development and stress responses has unveiled a new set of resources that can be harnessed to develop improved crops, thus heralding the promise of "synthetic epigenetics." In this review, we summarize the latest advances in epigenetic regulation and highlight how innovative sequencing techniques, epigenetic editing, and deep learning-driven predictive tools can rapidly extend these insights. We also proposed the future directions of synthetic epigenetics for the development of engineered smart crops that can actively monitor and respond to internal and external cues throughout their life cycles.
Topics: Epigenomics; Epigenesis, Genetic; Crops, Agricultural; Synthetic Biology; Plant Development; Plant Breeding
PubMed: 35851940
DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2131-6 -
The FEBS Journal Apr 2022Both auxin signalling and programmed cell death (PCD) are essential components of a normally functioning plant. Auxin underpins plant growth and development, as well as... (Review)
Review
Both auxin signalling and programmed cell death (PCD) are essential components of a normally functioning plant. Auxin underpins plant growth and development, as well as regulating plant defences against environmental stresses. PCD, a genetically controlled pathway for selective elimination of redundant, damaged or infected cells, is also a key element of many developmental processes and stress response mechanisms in plants. An increasing body of evidence suggests that auxin signalling and PCD regulation are often connected. While generally auxin appears to suppress cell death, it has also been shown to promote PCD events, most likely via stimulation of ethylene biosynthesis. Intriguingly, certain cells undergoing PCD have also been suggested to control the distribution of auxin in plant tissues, by either releasing a burst of auxin or creating an anatomical barrier to auxin transport and distribution. These recent findings indicate novel roles of localized PCD events in the context of plant development such as control of root architecture, or tissue regeneration following injury, and suggest exciting possibilities for incorporation of this knowledge into crop improvement strategies.
Topics: Apoptosis; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Indoleacetic Acids; Plant Development; Plant Roots; Plants; Stress, Physiological
PubMed: 34543510
DOI: 10.1111/febs.16210 -
International Journal of Molecular... Feb 2022In plants, salicylic acid (SA) is a hormone that mediates a plant's defense against pathogens. SA also takes an active role in a plant's response to various abiotic... (Review)
Review
In plants, salicylic acid (SA) is a hormone that mediates a plant's defense against pathogens. SA also takes an active role in a plant's response to various abiotic stresses, including chilling, drought, salinity, and heavy metals. In addition, in recent years, numerous studies have confirmed the important role of SA in plant morphogenesis. In this review, we summarize data on changes in root morphology following SA treatments under both normal and stress conditions. Finally, we provide evidence for the role of SA in maintaining the balance between stress responses and morphogenesis in plant development, and also for the presence of SA crosstalk with other plant hormones during this process.
Topics: Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Development; Plant Growth Regulators; Plant Roots; Plants; Salicylic Acid
PubMed: 35216343
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042228 -
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry : PPB Jan 2022Plant non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are usually defined as small, basic proteins, with a wide distribution in all orders of higher plants. Structurally,... (Review)
Review
Plant non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are usually defined as small, basic proteins, with a wide distribution in all orders of higher plants. Structurally, nsLTPs contain a conserved motif of eight cysteines, linked by four disulphide bonds, and a hydrophobic cavity in which the ligand is housed. This structure confers stability and enhances the ability to bind and transport a variety of hydrophobic molecules. Their highly conserved structural resemblance but low sequence identity reflects the wide variety of ligands they can carry, as well as the broad biological functions to which they are linked to, such as membrane stabilization, cell wall organization and signal transduction. In addition, they have also been described as essential in resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, plant growth and development, seed development, and germination. Hence, there is growing interest in this family of proteins for their critical roles in plant development and for the many unresolved questions that need to be clarified, regarding their subcellular localization, transfer capacity, expression profile, biological function, and evolution.
Topics: Antigens, Plant; Lipids; Plant Development; Plant Proteins; Plants
PubMed: 34992048
DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.12.026 -
Current Opinion in Plant Biology Dec 2021Plants produce a myriad of metabolites. Some of them have been regarded for a long time as secondary or specialized metabolites and are considered to have functions... (Review)
Review
Plants produce a myriad of metabolites. Some of them have been regarded for a long time as secondary or specialized metabolites and are considered to have functions mostly in defense and the adaptation of plants to their environment. However, in the last years, new research has shown that these metabolites can also have roles in the regulation of plant growth and development, some acting as signals, through the interaction with hormonal pathways, and some independently of them. These reports provide a glimpse of the functional possibilities that specialized metabolites present in the modulation of plant development and encourage more research in this direction.
Topics: Adaptation, Physiological; Friends; Humans; Plant Development; Plants
PubMed: 34856480
DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102142 -
American Journal of Botany Oct 2021Plant development and the timing of developmental events (phenology) are tightly coupled with plant fitness. A variety of internal and external factors determine the... (Review)
Review
Plant development and the timing of developmental events (phenology) are tightly coupled with plant fitness. A variety of internal and external factors determine the timing and fitness consequences of these life-history transitions. Microbes interact with plants throughout their life history and impact host phenology. This review summarizes current mechanistic and theoretical knowledge surrounding microbe-driven changes in plant phenology. Overall, there are examples of microbes impacting every phenological transition. While most studies have focused on flowering time, microbial effects remain important for host survival and fitness across all phenological phases. Microbe-mediated changes in nutrient acquisition and phytohormone signaling can release plants from stressful conditions and alter plant stress responses inducing shifts in developmental events. The frequency and direction of phenological effects appear to be partly determined by the lifestyle and the underlying nature of a plant-microbe interaction (i.e., mutualistic or pathogenic), in addition to the taxonomic group of the microbe (fungi vs. bacteria). Finally, we highlight biases, gaps in knowledge, and future directions. This biotic source of plasticity for plant adaptation will serve an important role in sustaining plant biodiversity and managing agriculture under the pressures of climate change.
Topics: Biodiversity; Climate Change; Plant Development; Plants; Seasons; Symbiosis
PubMed: 34655479
DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1743 -
Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology Aug 2019Tropisms are directed growth-mediated plant movements which allow plants to respond to their environment. Gravitropism is the ability of plants to perceive and respond... (Review)
Review
Tropisms are directed growth-mediated plant movements which allow plants to respond to their environment. Gravitropism is the ability of plants to perceive and respond to the gravity vector and orient themselves accordingly. The gravitropic pathway can be divided into three main components: perception, biochemical signaling, and differential growth. Perception of the gravity signal occurs through the movement/sedimentation of starch-filled plastids (termed statoliths) in gravity sensing cells. Once perceived, proteins interact with the settling statoliths to set a cascade of plant hormones to the elongation zones in the roots or shoots. Plant growth regulators that play a role in gravitropism include auxin, ethylene, gibberellic acid, jasmonic acid, among others. Differential growth on opposing sides of the root or shoot allow for the plant to grow relative to the direction of the perceived gravity vector. In this review, we detail how plants perceive gravity and respond biochemically in response to gravity as well as synthesize the recent literature on this important topic in plant biology. Keywords: auxin, gravitropism, gravity perception, plant growth regulators, space biology, statolith.
Topics: Gravitropism; Plant Development; Plant Growth Regulators; Plants
PubMed: 30935972
DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.03.011 -
Cells Jan 2022Senescence is a major developmental transition in plants that requires a massive reprogramming of gene expression and includes various layers of regulations. Senescence... (Review)
Review
Senescence is a major developmental transition in plants that requires a massive reprogramming of gene expression and includes various layers of regulations. Senescence is either an age-dependent or a stress-induced process, and is under the control of complex regulatory networks that interact with each other. It has been shown that besides genetic reprogramming, which is an important aspect of plant senescence, transcription factors and higher-level mechanisms, such as epigenetic and small RNA-mediated regulators, are also key factors of senescence-related genes. Epigenetic mechanisms are an important layer of this multilevel regulatory system that change the activity of transcription factors (TFs) and play an important role in modulating the expression of senescence-related gene. They include chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation, histone modification, and the RNA-mediated control of transcription factors and genes. This review provides an overview of the known epigenetic regulation of plant senescence, which has mostly been studied in the form of leaf senescence, and it also covers what has been reported about whole-plant senescence.
Topics: Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; DNA Methylation; Epigenesis, Genetic; Plant Development; Plants; Stress, Physiological
PubMed: 35053367
DOI: 10.3390/cells11020251 -
Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology May 2024Plant cells build nanofibrillar walls that are central to plant growth, morphogenesis and mechanics. Starting from simple sugars, three groups of polysaccharides,... (Review)
Review
Plant cells build nanofibrillar walls that are central to plant growth, morphogenesis and mechanics. Starting from simple sugars, three groups of polysaccharides, namely, cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectins, with very different physical properties are assembled by the cell to make a strong yet extensible wall. This Review describes the physics of wall growth and its regulation by cellular processes such as cellulose production by cellulose synthase, modulation of wall pH by plasma membrane H-ATPase, wall loosening by expansin and signalling by plant hormones such as auxin and brassinosteroid. In addition, this Review discusses the nuanced roles, properties and interactions of cellulose, matrix polysaccharides and cell wall proteins and describes how wall stress and wall loosening cooperatively result in cell wall growth.
Topics: Cell Wall; Cellulose; Plant Cells; Plant Proteins; Plant Development; Plants; Polysaccharides; Glucosyltransferases; Plant Growth Regulators; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 38102449
DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00691-y