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Molecular switches in plant stress adaptation

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Abstract

Climate change poses a significant threat to the global ecosystem, prompting plants to use various adaptive mechanisms via molecular switches to combat biotic and abiotic stress factors. These switches activate stress-induced pathways by altering their configuration between stable states. In this review, we investigated the regulation of molecular switches in different plant species in response to stress, including the stress-regulated response of multiple switches in Arabidopsis thaliana. We also discussed techniques for developing stress-resilient crops using molecular switches through advanced biotechnological tools. The literature search, conducted using databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and SCOPUS, utilized keywords such as molecular switch, plant adaptation, biotic and abiotic stresses, transcription factors, Arabidopsis thaliana, and crop improvement. Recent studies have shown that a single molecular switch can regulate multiple stress networks, and multiple switches can regulate a single stress condition. This multifactorial understanding provides clarity to the switch regulatory network and highlights the interrelationships of different molecular switches. Advanced breeding techniques, along with genomic and biotechnological tools, have paved the way for further research on molecular switches in crop improvement. The use of synthetic biology in molecular switches will lead to a better understanding of plant stress biology and potentially bring forth a new era of stress-resilient, climate-smart crops worldwide.

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  1. Post Graduate Department of Botany, Brahmananda Keshab Chandra College, 111/2 B.T. Road, Bon-Hooghly, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700108, India

    Tista Debnath & Priyanka Dhar

  2. Kataganj Spandan, Social Welfare Organization, Kalyani, West Bengal, 741250, India

    Debasmita Ghosh Dhar

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TD prepared the manuscript draft, tables, and figures; DGD performed the critical review, copy editing, and proofreading; PD conceived and designed the study and performed a literature survey and final review of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Supplementary Material 1: Fig. 1. Different stress factors are involved in inducing adaptive responses in plants. Fig. 2. Overview of activation of the adaptive mechanism by molecular switches in response to biotic and abiotic stress. Fig. 3. Techniques for the development of stress-resilient crops.

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Debnath, T., Dhar, D.G. & Dhar, P. Molecular switches in plant stress adaptation. Mol Biol Rep 51, 20 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-023-09051-7

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