How Salt (NaCl) stress modulates histidine kinase-based signalling systems

Abstract

Salt stress is a global environmental problem, which affects various biochemical and physiological processes in plants and significantly decreases the quantity and quality of the yield. NaCl is the main driver of NaCl-mediated effects because the accumulation of sodium ions (Na+) in plant tissues disrupts the homeostasis of other ions and may lead to secondary stresses. Two-component signalling (TCS) is an evolutionally conserved histidine-kinase based system utilised by many organisms to react to inner and environmental stimuli and stresses. In this review, we focus on the effect of NaCl on histidine-kinase based signalling systems (TCS) in bacteria and its advanced form multi-step phosphorely (MSP) in plants. Further, we discuss available data on the sodium-sensing approach employed by bacteria and plants, current limitations and future prospects in this area. Also, based on the analysed experimental and evolutional data, we suggested some potential directions for the future investigation of the salt-sensing mechanisms in plants.