Mediator Complex: A Pivotal Regulator of ABA Signaling Pathway and Abiotic Stress Response in Plants
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, China
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Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(20), 7755; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207755
Received: 25 September 2020
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Revised: 16 October 2020
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Accepted: 19 October 2020
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Published: 20 October 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Molecular Mechanisms of Abscisic Acid and Gibberellins Functions in Plants)
As an evolutionarily conserved multi-protein complex, the Mediator complex modulates the association between transcription factors and RNA polymerase II to precisely regulate gene transcription. Although numerous studies have shown the diverse functions of Mediator complex in plant development, flowering, hormone signaling, and biotic stress response, its roles in the Abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway and abiotic stress response remain largely unclear. It has been recognized that the phytohormone, ABA, plays a predominant role in regulating plant adaption to various abiotic stresses as ABA can trigger extensive changes in the transcriptome to help the plants respond to environmental stimuli. Over the past decade, the Mediator complex has been revealed to play key roles in not only regulating the ABA signaling transduction but also in the abiotic stress responses. In this review, we will summarize current knowledge of the Mediator complex in regulating the plants’ response to ABA as well as to the abiotic stresses of cold, drought and high salinity. We will particularly emphasize the involvement of multi-functional subunits of MED25, MED18, MED16, and CDK8 in response to ABA and environmental perturbation. Additionally, we will discuss potential research directions available for further deciphering the role of Mediator complex in regulating ABA and other abiotic stress responses.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Chong, L.; Guo, P.; Zhu, Y. Mediator Complex: A Pivotal Regulator of ABA Signaling Pathway and Abiotic Stress Response in Plants. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 7755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207755
AMA Style
Chong L, Guo P, Zhu Y. Mediator Complex: A Pivotal Regulator of ABA Signaling Pathway and Abiotic Stress Response in Plants. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21(20):7755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207755
Chicago/Turabian StyleChong, Leelyn, Pengcheng Guo, and Yingfang Zhu. 2020. "Mediator Complex: A Pivotal Regulator of ABA Signaling Pathway and Abiotic Stress Response in Plants" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21, no. 20: 7755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207755
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