Beat the Heat: Signaling Pathway-Mediated Strategies for Plant Thermotolerance

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The review article“Beat the heat: signaling pathway mediated strategies for plant thermotolerance” (authors Zidan Cao, Enbo Wang, Xinyi Xu, Chenheng Tong, Xia Zhao, Xiqiang Song, Jian Wang, Hou-ling Wang, Xinli Xia and Ying Zhao) outlines the main achievements in the field of plant heat tolerance (resistance). There are different defense mechanisms developed by plants against high temperature stress: reduction of membrane lipid molecular fluidity, the production and removal of reactive oxygen species, and the regulation of heat shock protein production, etc. To initiate all these temperature stress regulatory mechanisms, plants activate different cellular signaling pathways for transduction of heat stress signals into the intracellular molecular transformations.

Comments

Lines 30-32. “…ambient temperature exceeds its tolerance threshold…[1]”.” When the temperature exceeds the tolerance range...”. Comment: tautology.

Line 42. “…This adaptation is called heat resistance. Heat tolerance involves…”. Question: Are the terms “Heat resistance" and “Heat tolerance" synonymous?

Lines 57, 59. “…of sunlight; Some plant bodies…”, “…damage; Some plant leaves…”. Comment: grammar error.

Lines 70, 73, 75 Abbreviations MDA, AP2 / ERF, RNS. Question: Where are their decryptions?

Line 101. “Ca2+ chelating agent (LaCL3)…”. Comment: It is required to clarify the chemical formula.

Line 106. “…the calcium sensor transduces signals is transmitted to different substrates…”. Question: Maybe It would be more correct to say: “…the calcium sensor transduced signals are transmitted to different substrates…”?

Lines 109, 113, 114, 116. CaM3 and CDPKS, HSP, MBF1C, CDPK, MAPKs. Question: Where are their decryptions?

Lines 114, 135.”… respiratory burst oxidase homologous protein D (RBOHD)…” (Line 114) or “…respiratory burst oxidase congener D (RBOHD)…”. Question: Which variant is correct? Synonymous?

Lines 122, 125, Figure 1. Question: Where are HSFA2, HSFA2C in the Figure 1?

Figure 1. Question: What does it mean “PA accumulation” in the Figure 1?

Line 180. “Timperio [?] pointed. Ca2+ chelating agent (LaCL3)…”. Comment: editorial error.

Line 196. Question: “…upstream factor…”?

Line 201, Figure 2. Question: Maybe, the terms HSF70/90 in Figure 2 should be replaced with terms HSP70/90 (Line 201)?

Line 203, Figure 2. Question: What does it mean “HSE” term?

Lines 218, 219. Question: What does it mean terms “bZIP and TF proteins”?

Lines 228, 231. HSR gene promoter, PM. Question: Where are their decryptions?

Lines 256, 259. Question: Proline or Pro?

Lines 302-304. “…such as how the cell membrane undergoes cas- 302 cade conduction after sensing heat; The mechanism of action between phosphate 303 groups and calcium ion channels; How MAPKS works on HSF?”. Comment: syntax errors.

Lines 306. “The complex regulatory network formed by the network can…”. Comment: tautology.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors have in detailed explained the plant innate response system to the heat stress. The information in the manuscript is well drafted and alsmost covers all physiological and molecular changes in plants system to overcome heat stress. However, all this information has been extensively studied and reported in detailed earlier as well. The authors do not present any new idea or information that could help in the researchers in the field. I do understand it is a review nevertheless, it should give readers a link to their own research domain. One suggestion would be to group the plants according to geography or climate types as was described in the second heading of Adaptation of tropical plants, authors can add further headings about adaptation of temperate plants and desert plants etc. This way the readers and researchers can effectively link it with their own interests and researches. 

Therefore, will suggest the authors to modify the manuscript and add more specific context of their research rather than just assembling everything that is out there. 

English is acceptable just some minor proofreading is necessary for spell checks and typographic errors.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors have revised the draft as per recommendations, manuscript is acceptable for publication in its current form.