Programmed Cell Death Regulation in Plants

Dear Colleagues,

Programmed cell death (PCD) is the ultimate end of the cell cycle which is genetically regulated and controlled. PCD regulation attracts tremendous research efforts. In plants, PCD mechanism and regulation is very similar to PCD in animals. However, in plant cells, which are able to photosynthesize, a specific molecular mechanism of PCD has evolved and is controlled by the nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) of excess light energy and chloroplast retrograde signaling. Exciting new data shed new light on the molecular and physiological details of PCD regulation and its signaling cascades, which are dependent on photorespiration, hormonal, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and electrical intra- and intercellular signaling. These processes involve a broad variety of proteins, such as transcriptional regulators, kinases, phosphatases, calcium channels, phototropins, and ROS metabolizing enzymes. Moreover, it becomes evident that PCD regulation in plants depends on excess light energy dissipation as heat and manifests itself in foliar temperature changes, and simultaneous induction of defense and acclimation responses. Therefore, PCD regulators in plants have been successfully used in biotechnological improvement of crops and woody plants, in order to enhance growth, yield, and improve cell wall chemical composition, stress tolerance, and disease resistance.

This Special Issue aims at presenting new discoveries in the field of PCD and at summarizing the current knowledge of the role of PCD regulators in cellular metabolism, plant physiology, and retrograde signaling-related cross-tolerance phenomena in plants.

We look forward to your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Stanislaw Karpinski
Dr Weronika Czarnocka
Guest Editors

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