Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
Department of Botany, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Plant Cell Rep. 2022 Mar;41(3):775-798. doi: 10.1007/s00299-021-02754-w. Epub 2021 Aug 16.
Plant heat stress response is a multi-factorial trait that is precisely regulated by the complex web of transcription factors from various families that modulate heat stress responsive gene expression. Global warming due to climate change affects plant growth and development throughout its life cycle. Adds to this, the frequent occurrence of heat waves is drastically reducing the global crop yield. Molecular plant scientists can help crop breeders by providing genetic markers associated with stress resistance. Plant heat stress response (HSR), however, is a multi-factorial trait and using a single stress resistance trait might not be ideal to develop thermotolerant crops. Transcription factors participate in regulation of plant biological processes and environmental stress responses. Recent studies have revealed that plant HSR is precisely regulated by the complex web of transcription factors from various families. These transcription factors enhance plant heat stress tolerance by regulating the expression level of several stress-responsive genes independently or in cross talk with different other transcription factors. This review explores how signaling pathways triggered by heat stress are regulated by multiple transcription factor families. To our knowledge, we for the first time analyze the role of major transcription factor families in plant HSR along with their regulatory mechanisms. In the end, we will also discuss the potential of emerging technologies to improve thermotolerance in plants.
植物热应激反应是一个多因素的特征，由来自不同家族的复杂转录因子网络精确调控，调节热应激响应基因的表达。气候变化引起的全球变暖影响植物整个生命周期的生长和发育。此外，热浪的频繁发生极大地降低了全球作物的产量。分子植物科学家可以通过提供与抗胁迫相关的遗传标记来帮助作物培育者。然而，植物热应激反应是一个多因素的特征，使用单一的抗胁迫特性可能并不理想，无法培育出耐热作物。转录因子参与植物生物过程和环境胁迫反应的调节。最近的研究表明，植物热应激反应是由来自不同家族的复杂转录因子网络精确调控的。这些转录因子通过独立或与不同的其他转录因子交叉对话来调节几个应激响应基因的表达水平，从而增强植物的耐热性。本综述探讨了热应激触发的信号通路如何被多个转录因子家族调控。据我们所知，我们首次分析了主要转录因子家族在植物热应激反应中的作用及其调控机制。最后，我们还将讨论新兴技术在提高植物耐热性方面的潜力。
