Calcium Sensors as Key Hubs in Plant Responses to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses

Abstract

The Ca2+ ion is recognized as a crucial second messenger in signaling pathways coupling the perception of environmental stimuli to plant adaptive responses. Indeed, one of the earliest events following the perception of environmental changes (temperature, salt stress, drought, pathogen, or herbivore attack) is intracellular variation of free calcium concentrations. These calcium variations differ in their spatio-temporal characteristics (subcellular location, amplitude, kinetics) with the nature and strength of the stimulus and, for this reason, they are considered as signatures encrypting information from the initial stimulus. This information is believed to drive a specific response by decoding via calcium-binding proteins. Based on recent examples, we illustrate how individual calcium sensors from the calcium-dependent protein kinase and calmodulin-like protein families can integrate inputs from various environmental changes. Focusing on members of these two families, shown to be involved in plant responses to both abiotic and biotic stimuli, we discuss their role as key hubs and we put forward hypotheses explaining how they can drive the signaling pathways toward the appropriate plant responses.

De Novo transcriptome characterization of Dracaena cambodiana and analysis of genes involved in flavonoid accumulation during formation of dragon’s blood

“…Increasing evidence indicates that calcium plays an import role in flavonoid biosynthesis. It has been reported that the calcium can regulate anthocyanin accumulation, possibly by activating flavonoid pathway genes495051. Several components of calcium signaling pathway such as Ca 2+ , calmodulin, and protein kinases have been shown to be involved in regulating the anthocyanin level515253.…”

Chloroplast- or Mitochondria-Targeted DEAD-Box RNA Helicases Play Essential Roles in Organellar RNA Metabolism and Abiotic Stress Responses

“…As sessile organisms, plants have evolved various strategies to withstand these adverse environmental conditions (Komatsu and Hossain, 2013; Ranty et al, 2016). The survival of plants against these environmental stresses depends on their ability to recognize stress stimuli and adapt to such stresses by regulating the expression of stress-responsive genes in cellular organelles, nucleus, and cytoplasm.…”

Effect of salt stress on ion concentration, proline content, antioxidant enzyme activities and gene expression in tomato cultivars

“…The Ca 2+  is a second messenger in signalling network coupling the perception of a stressful environment to a significant plant adaptability (Tuteja and Mahajan 2007; Marco et al 2015). Ca 2+  acts at the crossroads of various signalling pathways (Gill and Tuteja 2010; Rany et al 2016). High-salinity stress initiates the calcium signalling network (Tuteja 2009), inducing membrane depolarization, and may activate sensitive Ca 2+  channels to generate a Ca 2+  signature (Tester and Davenport 2003; Zhu 2003).…”