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Tryptophan: A Precursor of Signaling Molecules in Higher Plants

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Hormones and Plant Response

Part of the book series: Plant in Challenging Environments ((PCE,volume 2))

Abstract

Tryptophan (Trp) is an aromatic amino acid which is synthesized through the shikimate/chorismate pathway. Behind that this amino acid is part of proteins; the relevance of Trp resides as a precursor of secondary metabolism which includes relevant molecules such as auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA), serotonin and melatonin which have a wide range of functions in higher plants including physiological processes such as seed germination, root growth and development, senescence, flowering or fruit ripening as well as in the mechanism of response against biotic and abiotic stresses. The main goal of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive overview of these pleiotropic signalling molecules and its implication in physiological processes as well as stress environmental conditions in higher plants.

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Acknowledgements

Our research work is supported by a European Regional Development Fund-cofinanced grant from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness/Science and Innovation (PID2019-103924GB-I00), the Plan Andaluz de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación (PAIDI 2020) (P18-FR-1359) and Junta de Andalucía (group BIO192), Spain.

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  1. Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology of Plants, Group of Antioxidants, Free Radicals and Nitric Oxide in Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture, Estación Experimental del Zaidín (Spanish National Research Council, CSIC), Granada, Spain

    Francisco J. Corpas & José M. Palma

  2. Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, New Delhi, India

    Dharmendra K. Gupta

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  1. Francisco J. Corpas
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  2. Dharmendra K. Gupta
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  3. José M. Palma
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Correspondence to Francisco J. Corpas .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, New Delhi, India

    Dharmendra K. Gupta

  2. CSIC, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Granada, Granada, Spain

    Francisco J. Corpas

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Corpas, F.J., Gupta, D.K., Palma, J.M. (2021). Tryptophan: A Precursor of Signaling Molecules in Higher Plants. In: Gupta, D.K., Corpas, F.J. (eds) Hormones and Plant Response. Plant in Challenging Environments, vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77477-6_11

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