Melatonin-Polyamine Interplay in the Regulation of Stress Responses in Plants

• Published in: Journal of plant growth regulation 2023-08, Vol.42 (8), p.4834-4850
• Main Authors: Tiwari, Rahul Kumar, Kumar, Ravinder, Lal, Milan Kumar, Kumar, Awadhesh, Altaf, Muhammad Ahsan, Devi, Rajni, Mangal, Vikas, Naz, Safina, Altaf, Muhammad Mohsin, Dey, Abhijit, Aftab, Tariq
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abscisic acid; Agriculture; Arginine decarboxylase; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Catabolism; Crop production; Crosstalk; Homeostasis; Life Sciences; Melatonin; Metabolic flux; Metabolism; Modulation; Ornithine decarboxylase; Phenotypes; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant cells; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plant species; Polyamines; Salicylic acid; Stress response
• ISSN: 0721-7595; 1435-8107
• DOI: 10.1007/s00344-022-10717-y

Melatonin and polyamines have been broadly found in multiple physiological processes and in diverse abiotic stresses faced by plants. In various plant species, melatonin-induced regulation of polyamine metabolism has been reported to play a critical role in the manifestation of stress tolerance mechanisms. Exogenous melatonin pretreatment has been shown to elevate the levels of endogenous polyamines through enhanced expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and arginine decarboxylase (ADC) ultimately resulting in tolerant phenotypes. The melatonin-polyamine modulation activates the antioxidant enzymatic machinery within the plant system that maintains the reactive species levels and alleviates the oxidative burst-associated damage responses. Alternatively, melatonin-mediated polyamine catabolism has been reported to be crucial in minimizing the excess reactive species accumulation under stress conditions. The melatonin-induced balance of polyamine metabolic flux maintains the ionic homeostasis in plant cells under stress conditions. Recent reports highlighted that melatonin-polyamine regulation involves crosstalk with salicylic acid, abscisic acid and ethylene that leads to a complex network of defense activation under stress conditions. This review attempts to highlight the regulatory role of melatonin in the modulation of polyamine metabolism and associated signaling components that confer stress tolerance in plants. The potential hormonal crosstalks involving melatonin-polyamine regulation have also been discussed to provide mechanistic insight into possible underlying mechanisms. This study will assist the current understanding of the uses of melatonin and polyamines as polyfunctional phytoprotectant in the crop production system.