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Journal ArticleDOI

Plant responses to drought, salinity and extreme temperatures: towards genetic engineering for stress tolerance

26 Sep 2003-Planta (PLANTA)-Vol. 218, Iss: 1, pp 1-14
TL;DR: The present review summarizes the recent advances in elucidating stress-response mechanisms and their biotechnological applications and examines the following aspects: regulatory controls, metabolite engineering, ion transport, antioxidants and detoxification, late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) and heat-shock proteins.
Abstract: Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, chemical toxicity and oxidative stress are serious threats to agriculture and the natural status of the environment. Increased salinization of arable land is expected to have devastating global effects, resulting in 30% land loss within the next 25 years, and up to 50% by the year 2050. Therefore, breeding for drought and salinity stress tolerance in crop plants (for food supply) and in forest trees (a central component of the global ecosystem) should be given high research priority in plant biotechnology programs. Molecular control mechanisms for abiotic stress tolerance are based on the activation and regulation of specific stress-related genes. These genes are involved in the whole sequence of stress responses, such as signaling, transcriptional control, protection of membranes and proteins, and free-radical and toxic-compound scavenging. Recently, research into the molecular mechanisms of stress responses has started to bear fruit and, in parallel, genetic modification of stress tolerance has also shown promising results that may ultimately apply to agriculturally and ecologically important plants. The present review summarizes the recent advances in elucidating stress-response mechanisms and their biotechnological applications. Emphasis is placed on transgenic plants that have been engineered based on different stress-response mechanisms. The review examines the following aspects: regulatory controls, metabolite engineering, ion transport, antioxidants and detoxification, late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) and heat-shock proteins.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Various factors pertaining to cold acclimation, promoter elements, and role of transcription factors in stress signaling pathway have been described, and the role of calcium as an important signaling molecule in response to various stress signals has been covered.

2,626 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review lists some candidate genes for salinity tolerance, and draws together hypotheses about the functions of these genes and the specific tissues in which they might operate.
Abstract: Salinity tolerance comes from genes that limit the rate of salt uptake from the soil and the transport of salt throughout the plant, adjust the ionic and osmotic balance of cells in roots and shoots, and regulate leaf development and the onset of senescence. This review lists some candidate genes for salinity tolerance, and draws together hypotheses about the functions of these genes and the specific tissues in which they might operate. Little has been revealed by gene expression studies so far, perhaps because the studies are not tissue-specific, and because the treatments are often traumatic and unnatural. Suggestions are made to increase the value of molecular studies in identifying genes that are important for salinity tolerance.

2,625 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The significance of Hsps and chaperones in abiotic stress responses in plants is summarized, and the co-operation among their different classes and their interactions with other stress-induced components are discussed.

2,309 citations


Cites background from "Plant responses to drought, salinit..."

  • ...The abundance of sHsps in plants and their functional characteristics of binding and stabilizing denatured proteins suggest that sHsps play an important role in plant-acquired stress tolerance [3, 7 ,85]....

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  • ...Abiotic stress is the primary cause of crop loss worldwide, reducing average yields for most major crop plants by more than 50% [ 7 ]....

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  • ...Much research is devoted to some of the major tolerance mechanisms, including ion transporters, osmoprotectants, free-radical scavengers, late embryogenesis abundant proteins and factors involved in signaling cascades and transcriptional control [ 7 ]....

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  • ...Acquired stress tolerance in plant is often a result of various stress-response mechanisms that act coordinately or synergistically to prevent cellular damage and to re-establish cellular homeostasis [ 7 ,88]....

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  • ...Acquired stress tolerance in plants is often a result of various stress-response mechanisms that might act coordinately or synergistically to prevent cellular damage and to re-establish homeostasis [ 7 ]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that NC-endophytes represent three distinct functional groups based on host colonization and transmission, in planta biodiversity and fitness benefits conferred to hosts, and key questions for future work in endophyte biology are highlighted.
Abstract: Summary 1 Summary All plants in natural ecosystems appear to be symbiotic with fungal endophytes. This highly diverse group of fungi can have profound impacts on plant communities through increasing fitness by conferring abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, increasing biomass and decreasing water consumption, or decreasing fitness by altering resource allocation. Despite more than 100 yr of research resulting in thousands of journal articles, the ecological significance of these fungi remains poorly characterized. Historically, two endophytic groups (clavicipitaceous (C) and nonclavicipitaceous (NC)) have been discriminated based on phylogeny and life history traits. Here, we show that NC-endophytes represent three distinct functional groups based on host colonization and transmission, in planta biodiversity and fitness benefits conferred to hosts. Using this framework, we contrast the life histories, interactions with hosts and potential roles in plant ecophysiology of C- and NC-endophytes, and highlight several key questions for future work in endophyte biology.

2,278 citations


Cites background from "Plant responses to drought, salinit..."

  • ...During pathogenic interactions both the hosts and the pathogens appear to produce ROS, which if produced by the plant may act to limit pathogen colonization and if produced by the pathogen may increase virulence (see Rouhier & Jacquot, 2008)....

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  • ...For example, Epichloë (Class 1 endophyte) produces ROS in vivo to limit its growth rate in host plants (Tanaka et al., 2006)....

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  • ...The role of ROS in Class 2 endophyte associations appears to be involved in stress tolerance (Baltruschat et al., 2008; Rodriguez et al., 2008) and differs from the role of ROS in other fungal endophyte-plant associations....

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  • ...Heat, drought and salt stress induce some similar plant responses including altered water relations, increased osmolyte production, production of signaling molecules such as abscisic acid (ABA), and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Bohnert et al., 1995; Bray, 1997; Wang et al., 2003; Apel & Hirt, 2004)....

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  • ...…stress induce some similar plant responses including altered water relations, increased osmolyte production, production of signaling molecules such as abscisic acid (ABA), and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Bohnert et al., 1995; Bray, 1997; Wang et al., 2003; Apel & Hirt, 2004)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: There is a need to develop simple and low cost biological methods for salinity stress management, which can be used on short term basis.

1,650 citations


Cites background from "Plant responses to drought, salinit..."

  • ...Several strategies have been developed in order to decrease the toxic effects caused by high salinity on plant growth, including plant genetic engineering (Wang et al., 2003), and recently the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) (Dimkpa et al....

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  • ...Several strategies have been developed in order to decrease the toxic effects caused by high salinity on plant growth, including plant genetic engineering (Wang et al., 2003), and recently the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) (Dimkpa et al., 2009)....

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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Key steps of the signal transduction pathway that senses ROIs in plants have been identified and raise several intriguing questions about the relationships between ROI signaling, ROI stress and the production and scavenging ofROIs in the different cellular compartments.

9,395 citations


"Plant responses to drought, salinit..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Salt, drought, heat and oxidative stress are accompanied by the formation of ROS such as O2, H2O2, and OH ) (Price et al. 1989; Moran et al. 1994, Mittler 2002), which damage membranes and macromolecules....

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Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jun 1998
TL;DR: A detailed account of current knowledge of the biosynthesis, compartmentation, and transport of these two important antioxidants, with emphasis on the unique insights and advances gained by molecular exploration are provided.
Abstract: To cope with environmental fluctuations and to prevent invasion by pathogens, plant metabolism must be flexible and dynamic. Active oxygen species, whose formation is accelerated under stress conditions, must be rapidly processed if oxidative damage is to be averted. The lifetime of active oxygen species within the cellular environment is determined by the antioxidative system, which provides crucial protection against oxidative damage. The antioxidative system comprises numerous enzymes and compounds of low molecular weight. While research into the former has benefited greatly from advances in molecular technology, the pathways by which the latter are synthesized have received comparatively little attention. The present review emphasizes the roles of ascorbate and glutathione in plant metabolism and stress tolerance. We provide a detailed account of current knowledge of the biosynthesis, compartmentation, and transport of these two important antioxidants, with emphasis on the unique insights and advances gained by molecular exploration.

5,450 citations


"Plant responses to drought, salinit..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Additional compounds, such as osmolytes, proteins (e.g. peroxiredoxin) and amphiphilic molecules (e.g. tocopherol), can also function as ROS scavengers (Bowler et al. 1992; Noctor and Foyer 1998)....

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  • ...tocopherol), can also function as ROS scavengers (Bowler et al. 1992; Noctor and Foyer 1998)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Salt and drought stress signal transduction consists of ionic and osmotic homeostasis signaling pathways, detoxification (i.e., damage control and repair) response pathways, and pathways for growth regulation.
Abstract: Salt and drought stress signal transduction consists of ionic and osmotic homeostasis signaling pathways, detoxification (i.e., damage control and repair) response pathways, and pathways for growth regulation. The ionic aspect of salt stress is signaled via the SOS pathway where a calcium-responsive SOS3-SOS2 protein kinase complex controls the expression and activity of ion transporters such as SOS1. Osmotic stress activates several protein kinases including mitogen-activated kinases, which may mediate osmotic homeostasis and/or detoxification responses. A number of phospholipid systems are activated by osmotic stress, generating a diverse array of messenger molecules, some of which may function upstream of the osmotic stress-activated protein kinases. Abscisic acid biosynthesis is regulated by osmotic stress at multiple steps. Both ABA-dependent and -independent osmotic stress signaling first modify constitutively expressed transcription factors, leading to the expression of early response transcriptional activators, which then activate downstream stress tolerance effector genes.

5,328 citations


"Plant responses to drought, salinit..." refers background in this paper

  • ...…these diverse environmental stresses often activate similar cell signaling pathways (Shinozaki and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki 2000; Knight and Knight 2001; Zhu 2001b, 2002) and cellular responses, such as the production of stress proteins, up-regulation of anti-oxidants and accumulation of compatible…...

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  • ...The readers can refer to many excellent reviews on this topic (Vierling 1991; Ingram and Bartels 1996; Bohnert and Sheveleva 1998; Smirnoff 1998; Tomashow 1998, 1999; Serrano et al. 1999; Blumwald 2000; Bray et al. 2000; Cushman and Bohnert 2000; Hasegawa et al. 2000; Shinozaki and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki 1997, 2000; Serrano and Rodriguez-Navarro 2001; Zhu 2002)....

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  • ...…(Vierling 1991; Ingram and Bartels 1996; Bohnert and Sheveleva 1998; Smirnoff 1998; Tomashow 1998, 1999; Serrano et al. 1999; Blumwald 2000; Bray et al. 2000; Cushman and Bohnert 2000; Hasegawa et al. 2000; Shinozaki and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki 1997, 2000; Serrano and Rodriguez-Navarro 2001; Zhu 2002)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jun 2000
TL;DR: Evidence for plant stress signaling systems is summarized, some of which have components analogous to those that regulate osmotic stress responses of yeast, some that presumably function in intercellular coordination or regulation of effector genes in a cell-/tissue-specific context required for tolerance of plants.
Abstract: ▪ Abstract Plant responses to salinity stress are reviewed with emphasis on molecular mechanisms of signal transduction and on the physiological consequences of altered gene expression that affect biochemical reactions downstream of stress sensing. We make extensive use of comparisons with model organisms, halophytic plants, and yeast, which provide a paradigm for many responses to salinity exhibited by stress-sensitive plants. Among biochemical responses, we emphasize osmolyte biosynthesis and function, water flux control, and membrane transport of ions for maintenance and re-establishment of homeostasis. The advances in understanding the effectiveness of stress responses, and distinctions between pathology and adaptive advantage, are increasingly based on transgenic plant and mutant analyses, in particular the analysis of Arabidopsis mutants defective in elements of stress signal transduction pathways. We summarize evidence for plant stress signaling systems, some of which have components analogous to t...

4,596 citations


"Plant responses to drought, salinit..." refers background in this paper

  • ...The readers can refer to many excellent reviews on this topic (Vierling 1991; Ingram and Bartels 1996; Bohnert and Sheveleva 1998; Smirnoff 1998; Tomashow 1998, 1999; Serrano et al. 1999; Blumwald 2000; Bray et al. 2000; Cushman and Bohnert 2000; Hasegawa et al. 2000; Shinozaki and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki 1997, 2000; Serrano and Rodriguez-Navarro 2001; Zhu 2002)....

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  • ...…(Vierling 1991; Ingram and Bartels 1996; Bohnert and Sheveleva 1998; Smirnoff 1998; Tomashow 1998, 1999; Serrano et al. 1999; Blumwald 2000; Bray et al. 2000; Cushman and Bohnert 2000; Hasegawa et al. 2000; Shinozaki and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki 1997, 2000; Serrano and Rodriguez-Navarro 2001; Zhu 2002)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
29 Oct 1982-Science
TL;DR: An analysis of major U.S. crops shows that there is a large genetic potential for yield that is unrealized because of the need for better adaptation of the plants to the environments in which they are grown.
Abstract: An analysis of major U.S. crops shows that there is a large genetic potential for yield that is unrealized because of the need for better adaptation of the plants to the environments in which they are grown. Evidence from native populations suggests that high productivity can occur in these environments and that opportunities for improving production in unfavorable environments are substantial. Genotypic selection for adaptation to such environments has already played an important role in agriculture, but the fundamental mechanisms are poorly understood. Recent scientific advances make exploration of these mechanisms more feasible and could result in large gains in productivity.

3,715 citations


"Plant responses to drought, salinit..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Abiotic stress is the primary cause of crop loss worldwide, reducing average yields for most major crop plants by more than 50% (Boyer 1982; Bray et al. 2000)....

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