Jun 2026· Plants· Vol 15, pp. 2033· 0 citations· 89 references
Medicine
TL;DR
This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the roles of kinases and phosphatases in SAM maintenance, with a particular focus on phosphorylation-mediated control of the CLV3–WUS pathway and associated signaling networks.
Abstract
The shoot apical meristem (SAM) serves as the cellular source of aboveground plant development and is precisely regulated by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors. Central to this regulation is the CLAVATA3 (CLV3)–WUSCHEL (WUS) negative feedback loop, which maintains SAM homeostasis by balancing stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Among the diverse regulatory mechanisms, reversible protein phosphorylation, which is mediated by protein kinases and phosphatases, has emerged as a key posttranslational modification that integrates internal and external signals to modulate SAM activity. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the roles of kinases and phosphatases in SAM maintenance, with a particular focus on phosphorylation-mediated control of the CLV3–WUS pathway and associated signaling networks. By synthesizing these molecular insights, we aim to provide a comprehensive reference for deciphering the regulatory mechanisms underlying SAM homeostasis. A deeper understanding of SAM regulation not only advances fundamental knowledge of plant developmental biology but also holds significant potential for improving crop architecture and agricultural productivity.
Jasmonic acid (JA), one of the most pivotal plant hormones, has emerged as a central focus in plant biology research due to its extensive and diverse biological functions. This review synthesizes the significant advancements made over the past decade in understanding JA's role in regulating plant development and mediating responses to environmental stresses, areas that lacked systematic review in previous years. We provide a concise overview of JA's biosynthetic and signal transduction pathways, with particular emphasis on the key regulatory complex comprising CORONATINE INSENSITIVE 1 (COI1), jasmonate ZIM-domain proteins (JAZs), and MYC transcription factors (MYCs). The COI1-JAZs-MYCs complex serves as a master regulator of various developmental processes, including seed germination, root elongation, and leaf senescence. Although early research primarily highlighted JA's role in enhancing plant resistance to insects and pathogens through JAZ-mediated modulation of secondary metabolites, reactive oxygen species, and defense-related gene expression, recent evidence underscores its pivotal coordination with other plant hormones, regulatory genes, and metabolites in mediating responses to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and temperature extremes. Furthermore, this article offers a forward-looking perspective on the future directions of JA research, emphasizing its potential applications in improving crop resilience and productivity.
Rui Wang, Teja Manda, A. Movahedi et al.· Functional Plant Biology· 0 citations
A positive feedback loop between CLV3 and WUS that is mediated by multiple hormone interactions, which is critical for plants to adapt to harsh environments is revealed.
Mengchu Xu, Haijun Wu, Chengwu Liu et al.· Molecular Plant· 0 citations
Transcriptional regulation is the cornerstone of plant developmental plasticity and environmental resilience. Central to these processes are the B-Box (BBX) proteins, a family of zinc-finger transcription factors that have emerged as pivotal signaling hubs. While their roles were initially defined through light signaling and photoperiodic flowering in Arabidopsis, recent advances have repositioned BBX proteins as integrative nodes across a vast array of physiological processes, including seed germination, thermomorphogenesis, shade avoidance and senescence, as well as responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses. The remarkable functional diversity of BBX proteins emerges from a highly orchestrated, hierarchical regulatory landscape. This review synthesizes recent progress in how BBX activity is modulated through chromatin remodeling, alternative splicing and E3-ligase-mediated protein stability, among other mechanisms. We propose that understanding BBX function requires a shift from identifying isolated target genes to decoding the combinatorial logic of their interactions. Deciphering this interactome under fluctuating environments not only deepens our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms regulating plant plasticity but also identifies highly promising targets for the precision breeding of climate-resilient crops.
J. Botto, G. Gómez-Ocampo, C. Barraza· Plant physiology and biochem...· 0 citations
Medicinal plants with storage root expansion play essential roles in food supply, disease prevention, and therapeutic applications. Storage-root enlargement is a highly coordinated developmental process involving primary root specialization, secondary growth, and organ-specific differentiation. Recent studies have revealed that endogenous phytohormones, including auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, and jasmonic acid, regulate this process through interconnected signaling pathways that control cell division, cambial activity, and radial growth. Transcription factors such as the ARF, AUX/IAA, NAC, and PLT families function as central regulatory nodes that integrate hormonal and environmental signals. These regulatory networks modulate lignin deposition, carbohydrate metabolism, and secondary meristem activity. These coordinated processes ultimately drive structural remodeling and functional differentiation during root enlargement. Environmental factors, including temperature, CO2 concentration, nutrient availability, water status, and rhizosphere1830107 microbial communities, further influence these molecular pathways by reshaping hormone balance, assimilate allocation, and root developmental programs. Despite recent progress, the core regulatory modules and species-specific mechanisms underlying storage-root enlargement in medicinal plants remain poorly understood. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the hormonal, transcriptional, and environmental regulation of storage-root enlargement in medicinal plants and highlights future research directions to improve root yield, medicinal quality, and bioactive compound accumulation.
Mengfan Deng, Yi Lv, Shilin Zhang et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
Plant development relies on a complex network of transcription factors and hormone signalling pathways that guide pattern formation and developmental transitions in the meristems. Yet, how this core network is regulated to enable developmental plasticity remains poorly understood. A key question is how information about nutrient availability influences growth decisions, with nutrients acting not only as substrates for energy production and anabolism but also as regulatory signals. Here, we review recent advances in plant nutrient signalling during development, focussing on how carbon and nitrogen signals inform shoot apical meristem activity. We also consider the emerging idea that meristem regulators may reciprocally influence nutrient signalling pathways and metabolism.
Christopher Bell, Elena Baena-González· Current opinion in plant bio...· 0 citations
Cold environments significantly influence plant growth, development, geographical distribution, and yield. A growing body of research has focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to cold stress, among which post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins play a pivotal role by regulating protein stability, activity, and protein-protein interactions. In this review, we summarize regulatory mechanisms of several types of PTMs, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, acetylation, crotonylation, and S-acylation, in the cold stress signaling pathway. These dynamic modifications allow plants to mount precise and adaptive responses, effectively balance defense with developmental processes, and establish a molecular foundation for adaptation to cold environments. A comprehensive understanding of the cascading relationships and collaborative regulatory networks among PTMs is indispensable for deciphering the molecular logic of plant cold adaptation. Moreover, further exploration of the temporal and spatial dynamics of these modifications and their functional associations will continue to refine our mechanistic understanding of the regulatory networks governing plant cold tolerance.