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Recent advances in plant thermomemory

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Abstract

Key message

This review summarizes the process of thermal acquired tolerance in plants and the knowledge gap compared to systemic acquired resistance that a plant shows after pathogen inoculation.

Abstract

Plants are continuously challenged by several biotic stresses such as pests and pathogens, or abiotic stresses like high light, UV radiation, drought, salt, and very high or low temperature. Interestingly, for most stresses, prior exposure makes plants more tolerant during the subsequent exposures, which is often referred to as acclimatization. Research of the last two decades reveals that the memory of most of the stresses is associated with epigenetic changes. Heat stress causes damage to membrane proteins, denaturation and inactivation of various enzymes, and accumulation of reactive oxygen species leading to cell injury and death. Plants are equipped with thermosensors that can recognize certain specific changes and activate protection machinery. Phytochrome and calcium signaling play critical roles in sensing sudden changes in temperature and activate cascades of signaling, leading to the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs) that keep protein-unfolding under control. Heat shock factors (HSFs) are the transcription factors that read the activation of thermosensors and induce the expression of HSPs. Epigenetic modifications of HSFs are likely to be the key component of thermal acquired tolerance (TAT). Despite the advances in understanding the process of thermomemory generation, it is not known whether plants are equipped with systemic activation thermal protection, as happens in the form of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) upon pathogen infection. This review describes the recent advances in the understanding of thermomemory development in plants and the knowledge gap in comparison with SAR.

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Abbreviations

APx:

Ascorbate peroxidase

BRM:

Brahma

CDPK:

Calcium-dependent protein kinases

CNGC:

Cyclic nucleotide gated calcium channel

GCN5:

General control nonderepressible5

HATs:

Histone acetyl transferase

HD2C:

Histone deacetylases 2C

HDACs:

Histone deacetylases

HDMs:

Histone demethylase

HS:

Heat stress

HLP1:

Hikeshi-like proteins 1

HMTs:

Histone methyl transferases

HSE:

Heat shock element

HSF:

Heat shock transcription factor

HSP:

Heat shock proteins

HTT5:

Heat inducible Tas1 target 5

IP3:

Inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate

MGDG:

Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol

NAD+ :

Nicotinamide adenine diphosphate

PhyB:

Phytochrome B

PIF4:

Phytochrome interacting factor 4

PIP2:

Phophatidyl-4,5-inositol bisphosphate

PIPK:

Phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase

PLD:

Phospholipase D

PS-II:

Photosystem-II

RBOHD:

Respiratory burst oxidase homolog

REF6:

Relative of early flowering 6

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SAR:

Systemic acquired resistance

sHSP:

Smaller heat shock proteins

SGIP1:

SGS3 interacting proteins

SGS3:

Suppressor of gene silencing 3

SWI/SNF:

Switch/Suc non-fermenting

TAT:

Thermal acquired tolerance

UVH6:

Ultraviolet hypersensitivity6

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Acknowledgements

Authors acknowledge the UGC Grant (F.No. 6-8/2017(IC)). Anand Nishad is a recipient of the UGC non-NET fellowship.

Funding

This study was funded by UGC grant (F.No. 6-8/2017(IC)).

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  1. School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, 415, New Delhi, 110067, India

    Anand Nishad & Ashis Kumar Nandi

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  1. Anand Nishad
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  2. Ashis Kumar Nandi
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Correspondence to Ashis Kumar Nandi.

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Nishad, A., Nandi, A.K. Recent advances in plant thermomemory. Plant Cell Rep 40, 19–27 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-020-02604-1

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