Heterotrimeric G Protein Signaling in Abiotic Stress

• Published in: Plants (Basel) 2022-03, Vol.11 (7), p.876
• Main Authors: Wang, Yijie, Botella, Jose Ramón
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; abiotic stress tolerance; Abscisic acid; Agricultural production; Biotechnology; Crop resilience; Drought; Environmental effects; Food security; Heat stress; Heat tolerance; heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein; hormonal signaling; Kinases; Plant breeding; Plant growth; Potassium; Proteins; Review; Salinity; Sessile species; Signal transduction; Signaling
• ISSN: 2223-7747; 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants11070876

As sessile organisms, plants exhibit extraordinary plasticity and have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to adapt and mitigate the adverse effects of environmental fluctuations. Heterotrimeric G proteins (G proteins), composed of α, β, and γ subunits, are universal signaling molecules mediating the response to a myriad of internal and external signals. Numerous studies have identified G proteins as essential components of the organismal response to stress, leading to adaptation and ultimately survival in plants and animal systems. In plants, G proteins control multiple signaling pathways regulating the response to drought, salt, cold, and heat stresses. G proteins signal through two functional modules, the Gα subunit and the Gβγ dimer, each of which can start either independent or interdependent signaling pathways. Improving the understanding of the role of G proteins in stress reactions can lead to the development of more resilient crops through traditional breeding or biotechnological methods, ensuring global food security. In this review, we summarize and discuss the current knowledge on the roles of the different G protein subunits in response to abiotic stress and suggest future directions for research.