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The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 52586

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Prof. Dr. Iwona Morkunas

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Department of Plant Physiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wołyńska 35, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Interests: metabolic and ultrastructural responses of plants to sugar starvation; the role of saccharides in plant defense response to fungal pathogens; the involvement of sugars in regulation of the level of endogenous signaling molecules; effect of saccharides and nitric oxide on the mechanism regulating flavonoid biosynthesis; sugars and reactive oxygen species; sweet immunity; sugar metabolism and fruit development; the role of signaling molecules in plant defense response to aphids; the cross-talk between the abiotic and biotic factors on the generation of phytohormones and expression of genes involved in their biosynthesis
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Prof. Dr. Philippe Jeandet

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Research Unit “Induced Resistance and Plant Bioprotection”, RIBP-USC INRAe 1488, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51100 Reims, France
Interests: phytoalexins; chemistry of natural products; secondary metabolites; plant defences
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Dr. Mateusz Labudda

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Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: molecular, biochemical, and physiological mechanisms of plant responses to pathogens and pests especially reactive oxygen and nitrogen species; enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants; sugars as signaling molecules; regulation of proteolysis and nitrogen metabolism; additional research topics concern the plant abiotic stress especially metallic trace elements and mechanisms of combined stresses
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Dr. Magda Formela-Luboińska

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Department of Plant Physiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wołyńska 35, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Interests: the involvement of sugars in the regulation of the level of endogenous signalling molecules; the effect of saccharides and nitric oxide on the mechanism regulating flavonoid biosynthesis; sweet immunity; the role of signalling molecules in lupine defense response to fungal pathogen
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Owing to their regulatory function, sugars affect all phases of the life cycle of plants, interacting with other signaling molecules including phytohormones, and control plant growth and development. The level of sugars in plant cells, their transport, utilization, and storage are precisely regulated and strongly dependent on cell physiological activity, plant organ, environmental conditions, and plant developmental stage during ontogenesis. It is also tightly controlled by sugar transporters and enzymes. The plant’s ability to monitor and respond to the cellular level of sugars may act as a controlling mechanism, integrating the influence of environmental conditions with internal developmental programs, directly regulated by phytohormones. Many environmental stimuli may influence various biochemical reactions, frequently interfering with the balanced distribution of these metabolites within plant cells and their transport from source organs to sink organs. Numerous studies have also shown that sugars play a key role in plant defense responses to various stress factors, both abiotic and biotic. It is well documented that sugars are not only the main substrates utilized in respiration processes, supplying energy for cellular defense responses against pathogens, but also provide the carbon skeleton for the synthesis of defense compounds, including secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignins. Besides, saccharides, such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, and trehalose, are metabolic signaling molecules in host plant cells, which induce the expression of many genes, including defense genes. Sugar signals may contribute to plant immune responses against pathogens and probably function as priming molecules, leading to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) in plants. It has been demonstrated that the presence of sucrose and monosaccharides enables plants to stimulate efficient defense mechanisms against fungal pathogens. This is consistent with the novel concept of “Sweet Immunity” that postulates specific key roles of saccharides, which act as priming agents inducing resistance in higher plants to counteract both biotic and abiotic stresses. Recent progress in sugar research has provided important evidence on the contribution of fructans both in the adaptation of plants to abiotic stress and in plant immune responses against pathogens. All papers submitted to this Special Issue will underline the central role of sugars in plant defense responses to stresses as well as the impact of climatic conditions on the relationship between sugar metabolism and yielding. Additionally, papers regarding the involvement of sugars as signaling molecules in the processes regulating growth and development will be welcome. Original and review papers dealing with all the above aspects of sugars are welcome for inclusion in this Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Prof. Dr. Iwona Morkunas
Prof. Dr. Philippe Jeandet
Dr. Mateusz Labudda
Dr. Magda Formela-Luboińska
Guest Editors

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Keywords

sugar signaling
abiotic stress tolerance
biotic stress
plant responses
development regulation

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The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development Volume 2 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (4 articles)

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Editorial

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6 pages, 231 KiB

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The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development

by Philippe Jeandet, Magda Formela-Luboińska, Mateusz Labudda and Iwona Morkunas

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 5161; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23095161 - 05 May 2022

Cited by 56 | Viewed by 3437

Abstract

Due to their role as energy and carbon sources and their regulatory functions, sugars influence all phases of the plant life cycle, interact with other signaling molecules, including phytohormones, and control plant growth and development [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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17 pages, 3210 KiB

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Effect of Short-Term Cold Treatment on Carbohydrate Metabolism in Potato Leaves

by Sławomir Orzechowski, Dorota Sitnicka, Agnieszka Grabowska, Julia Compart, Joerg Fettke and Edyta Zdunek-Zastocka

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(13), 7203; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22137203 - 04 Jul 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3963

Abstract

Plants are often challenged by an array of unfavorable environmental conditions. During cold exposure, many changes occur that include, for example, the stabilization of cell membranes, alterations in gene expression and enzyme activities, as well as the accumulation of metabolites. In the presented study, the carbohydrate metabolism was analyzed in the very early response of plants to a low temperature (2 °C) in the leaves of 5-week-old potato plants of the Russet Burbank cultivar during the first 12 h of cold treatment (2 h dark and 10 h light). First, some plant stress indicators were examined and it was shown that short-term cold exposure did not significantly affect the relative water content and chlorophyll content (only after 12 h), but caused an increase in malondialdehyde concentration and a decrease in the expression of NDA1, a homolog of the NADH dehydrogenase gene. In addition, it was shown that the content of transitory starch increased transiently in the very early phase of the plant response (3–6 h) to cold treatment, and then its decrease was observed after 12 h. In contrast, soluble sugars such as glucose and fructose were significantly increased only at the end of the light period, where a decrease in sucrose content was observed. The availability of the monosaccharides at constitutively high levels, regardless of the temperature, may delay the response to cold, involving amylolytic starch degradation in chloroplasts. The decrease in starch content, observed in leaves after 12 h of cold exposure, was preceded by a dramatic increase in the transcript levels of the key enzymes of starch degradation initiation, the α-glucan, water dikinase (GWD-EC 2.7.9.4) and the phosphoglucan, water dikinase (PWD-EC 2.7.9.5). The gene expression of both dikinases peaked at 9 h of cold exposure, as analyzed by real-time PCR. Moreover, enhanced activities of the acid invertase as well as of both glucan phosphorylases during exposure to a chilling temperature were observed. However, it was also noticed that during the light phase, there was a general increase in glucan phosphorylase activities for both control and cold-stressed plants irrespective of the temperature. In conclusion, a short-term cold treatment alters the carbohydrate metabolism in the leaves of potato, which leads to an increase in the content of soluble sugars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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11 pages, 2002 KiB

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Expression Level of Mature miR172 in Wild Type and StSUT4-Silenced Plants of Solanum tuberosum Is Sucrose-Dependent

by Varsha Garg, Aleksandra Hackel and Christina Kühn

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(3), 1455; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22031455 - 01 Feb 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2087

Abstract

In potato plants, the phloem-mobile miR172 is involved in the sugar-dependent transmission of flower and tuber inducing signal transduction pathways and a clear link between solute transport and the induction of flowering and tuberization was demonstrated. The sucrose transporter StSUT4 seems to play an important role in the photoperiod-dependent triggering of both developmental processes, flowering and tuberization, and the phenotype of StSUT4-inhibited potato plants is reminiscent to miR172 overexpressing plants. The first aim of this study was the determination of the level of miR172 in sink and source leaves of StSUT4-silenced as well as StSUT4-overexpressing plants in comparison to Solanum tuberosum ssp. Andigena wild type plants. The second aim was to investigate the effect of sugars on the level of miRNA172 in whole cut leaves, as well as in whole in vitro plantlets that were supplemented with exogenous sugars. Experiments clearly show a sucrose-dependent induction of the level of mature miR172 in short time as well as long time experiments. A sucrose-dependent accumulation of miR172 was also measured in mature leaves of StSUT4-silenced plants where sucrose export is delayed and sucrose accumulates at the end of the light period. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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21 pages, 1636 KiB

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Diurnal Changes in Water Soluble Carbohydrate Components in Leaves and Sucrose Associated TaSUT1 Gene Expression during Grain Development in Wheat

by Sarah Al-Sheikh Ahmed, Jingjuan Zhang, Hussein Farhan, Yingquan Zhang, Zitong Yu, Shahidul Islam, Jiansheng Chen, Sanda Cricelli, Andrew Foreman, Wim Van den Ende, Wujun Ma and Bernard Dell

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(21), 8276; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21218276 - 05 Nov 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1895

Abstract

In plant tissues, sugar levels are determined by the balance between sugar import, export, and sugar synthesis. So far, water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) dynamics have not been investigated in a diurnal context in wheat stems as compared to the dynamics in flag leaves during the terminal phases of grain filling. Here, we filled this research gap and tested the hypothesis that WSC dynamics interlink with gene expression of TaSUT1. The main stems and flag leaves of two genotypes, Westonia and Kauz, were sampled at four hourly intervals over a 24 h period at six developmental stages from heading to 28 DAA (days after anthesis). The total levels of WSC and WSC components were measured, and TaSUT1 gene expression was quantified at 21 DAA. On average, the total WSC and fructan levels in the stems were double those in the flag leaves. In both cultivars, diurnal patterns in the total WSC and sucrose were detected in leaves across all developmental stages, but not for the fructans 6-kestose and bifurcose. However, in stems, diurnal patterns of the total WSC and fructan were only found at anthesis in Kauz. The different levels of WSC and WSC components between Westonia and Kauz are likely associated with leaf chlorophyll levels and fructan degradation, especially 6-kestose degradation. High correlation between levels of TaSUT1 expression and sucrose in leaves indicated that TaSUT1 expression is likely to be influenced by the level of sucrose in leaves, and the combination of high levels of TaSUT1 expression and sucrose in Kauz may contribute to its high grain yield under well-watered conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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17 pages, 3078 KiB

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The Role of Saccharides in the Mechanisms of Pathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lupini in Yellow Lupine (Lupinus luteus L.)

by Magda Formela-Luboińska, Dorota Remlein-Starosta, Agnieszka Waśkiewicz, Zbigniew Karolewski, Jan Bocianowski, Łukasz Stępień, Mateusz Labudda, Philippe Jeandet and Iwona Morkunas

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(19), 7258; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21197258 - 01 Oct 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2925

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to determine the relationship between soluble sugar levels (sucrose, glucose, or fructose) in yellow lupine embryo axes and the pathogenicity of the hemibiotrophic fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Schlecht lupini. The first step of this study was to determine the effect of exogenous saccharides on the growth and sporulation of F. oxysporum. The second one focused on estimating the levels of ergosterol as a fungal growth indicator in infected embryo axes cultured in vitro on sugar containing-medium or without it. The third aim of this study was to record the levels of the mycotoxin moniliformin as the most characteristic secondary metabolite of F. oxysporum in the infected embryo axes with the high sugar medium and without it. Additionally, morphometric measurements, i.e., the length and fresh weight of embryo axes, were done. The levels of ergosterol were the highest in infected embryo axes with a sugar deficit. At the same time, significant accumulation of the mycotoxin moniliformin was recorded in those tissues. Furthermore, it was found that the presence of sugars in water agar medium inhibited the sporulation of the pathogenic fungus F. oxysporum in relation to the control (sporulation of the pathogen on medium without sugar), the strongest inhibiting effect was observed in the case of glucose. Infection caused by F. oxysporum significantly limited the growth of embryo axes, but this effect was more visible on infected axes cultured under sugar deficiency than on the ones cultured with soluble sugars. The obtained results thus showed that high sugar levels may lead to reduced production of mycotoxins by F. oxysporum, limiting infection development and fusariosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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23 pages, 22581 KiB

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Chitinase Gene Positively Regulates Hypersensitive and Defense Responses of Pepper to Colletotrichum acutatum Infection

by Muhammad Ali, Quan-Hui Li, Tao Zou, Ai-Min Wei, Ganbat Gombojab, Gang Lu and Zhen-Hui Gong

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(18), 6624; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21186624 - 10 Sep 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3520

Abstract

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum is one of the most devastating fungal diseases of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The utilization of chitin-binding proteins or chitinase genes is the best option to control this disease. A chitin-binding domain (CBD) has been shown to be crucial for the innate immunity of plants and activates the hypersensitive response (HR). The CaChiIII7 chitinase gene has been identified and isolated from pepper plants. CaChiIII7 has repeated CBDs that encode a chitinase enzyme that is transcriptionally stimulated by C. acutatum infection. The knockdown of CaChiIII7 in pepper plants confers increased hypersensitivity to C. acutatum, resulting in its proliferation in infected leaves and an attenuation of the defense response genes CaPR1, CaPR5, and SAR8.2 in the CaChiIII7-silenced pepper plants. Additionally, H₂O₂ accumulation, conductivity, proline biosynthesis, and root activity were distinctly reduced in CaChiIII7-silenced plants. Subcellular localization analyses indicated that the CaChiIII7 protein is located in the plasma membrane and cytoplasm of plant cells. The transient expression of CaChiIII7 increases the basal resistance to C. acutatum by significantly expressing several defense response genes and the HR in pepper leaves, accompanied by an induction of H₂O₂ biosynthesis. These findings demonstrate that CaChiIII7 plays a prominent role in plant defense in response to pathogen infection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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14 pages, 3265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of the SUT Gene Family in Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and Functional Analysis of PgL0145810.1

by Krishna Poudel, Xiang Luo, Lina Chen, Dan Jing, Xiaocong Xia, Liying Tang, Haoxian Li and Shangyin Cao

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(18), 6608; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21186608 - 10 Sep 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3044

Abstract

Sucrose, an important sugar, is transported from source to sink tissues through the phloem, and plays important role in the development of important traits in plants. However, the SUT gene family is still not well characterized in pomegranate. In this study, we first identified the pomegranate sucrose transporter (SUT) gene family from the whole genome. Then, the phylogenetic relationship of SUT genes, gene structure and their promoters were analyzed. Additionally, their expression patterns were detected during the development of the seed. Lastly, genetic transformation and cytological observation were used to study the function of PgL0145810.1. A total of ten pomegranate SUT genes were identified from the whole genome of pomegranate ‘Tunisia’. The promoter region of all the pomegranate SUT genes contained myeloblastosis (MYB) elements. Four of the SUT genes, PgL0328370.1, PgL0099690.1, PgL0145810.1 and PgL0145770.1, were differentially expressed during seed development. We further noticed that PgL0145810.1 was expressed most prominently in the stem parts in transgenic plants compared to other tissue parts (leaves, flowers and silique). The cells in the xylem vessels were small and lignin content was lower in the transgenic plants as compared to wild Arabidopsis plants. In general, our result suggests that the MYB cis-elements in the promoter region might regulate PgL0145810.1 expression to control the structure of xylem, thereby affecting seed hardness in pomegranate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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16 pages, 3678 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sweet Immunity: The Effect of Exogenous Fructans on the Susceptibility of Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) to Venturia inaequalis

by Anze Svara, Łukasz Paweł Tarkowski, Henry Christopher Janse van Rensburg, Evelien Deleye, Jarl Vaerten, Nico De Storme, Wannes Keulemans and Wim Van den Ende

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(16), 5885; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21165885 - 16 Aug 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3517

Abstract

There is an urgent need for novel, efficient and environmentally friendly strategies to control apple scab (Venturia inaequalis), for the purpose of reducing overall pesticide use. Fructans are recently emerging as promising “priming” compounds, standing out for their safety and low production costs. The objective of this work was to test a fructan-triggered defense in the leaves of apple seedlings. It was demonstrated that exogenous leaf spraying can reduce the development of apple scab disease symptoms. When evaluated macroscopically and by V. inaequalis-specific qPCR, levan-treated leaves showed a significant reduction of sporulation and V. inaequalis DNA in comparison to mock- and inulin-treated leaves, comparable to the levels in fosetyl-aluminum-treated leaves. Furthermore, we observed a significant reduction of in vitro mycelial growth of V. inaequalis on plates supplemented with levans when compared to controls, indicating a direct inhibition of fungal growth. Variations in endogenous sugar contents in the leaves were followed during priming and subsequent infection, revealing complex dynamics as a function of time and leaf ontogeny. Our data are discussed in view of the present theories on sugar signaling and fructan-based immunity, identifying areas for future research and highlighting the potential use of fructans in apple scab management in orchards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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16 pages, 3466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Long-Day Photoperiod and 6-Benzyladenine Promote Runner Formation through Upregulation of Soluble Sugar Content in Strawberry

by Yali Li, Jiangtao Hu, Hao Wei and Byoung Ryong Jeong

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(14), 4917; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21144917 - 12 Jul 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3231

Abstract

Commercial strawberries are mainly propagated using daughter plants produced on aerial runners because asexual propagation is faster than seed propagation, and daughter plants retain the characteristics of the mother plant. This study was conducted to investigate the effective factors for runner induction, as well as the molecular mechanisms behind the runner induction. An orthogonal test with 4 factors (photoperiod, temperature, gibberellin, and 6-benzyladenine), each with 3 levels was performed. Proteins were also extracted from the crowns with or without runners and separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis. The results of the orthogonal test showed that a long-day (LD) environment was the most influential factor for the runner formation, and 50 mg·L⁻¹ of 6-BA significantly increased the number of runners. A proteomic analysis revealed that 32 proteins were differentially expressed (2-fold, p < 0.05) in the strawberry crowns with and without runners. A total of 16 spots were up-regulated in the crowns with runners induced by LD treatment. Identified proteins were classified into seven groups according to their biological roles. The most prominent groups were carbohydrate metabolism and photosynthesis, which indicated that the carbohydrate content may increase during runner formation. A further analysis demonstrated that the soluble sugar content was positively correlated with the number of runners. Thus, it is suggested that the photoperiod and 6-BA break the dormancy of the axillary buds and produce runners by increasing the soluble sugar content in strawberry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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20 pages, 4413 KiB

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The Role of Sugars in the Regulation of the Level of Endogenous Signaling Molecules during Defense Response of Yellow Lupine to Fusarium oxysporum

by Magda Formela-Luboińska, Tamara Chadzinikolau, Kinga Drzewiecka, Henryk Jeleń, Jan Bocianowski, Jacek Kęsy, Mateusz Labudda, Philippe Jeandet and Iwona Morkunas

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(11), 4133; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21114133 - 10 Jun 2020

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 3823

Abstract

Soluble sugars such as sucrose, glucose and fructose in plant host cells not only play the role as donors of carbon skeletons, but they may also induce metabolic signals influencing the expression of defense genes. These metabolites function in a complex network with many bioactive molecules, which independently or in dialogue, induce successive defense mechanisms. The aim of this study was to determine the involvement of sucrose and monosaccharides as signaling molecules in the regulation of the levels of phytohormones and hydrogen peroxide participating in the defense responses of Lupinus luteus L. to a hemibiotrophic fungus Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht f. sp. lupini. A positive correlation between the level of sugars and postinfection accumulation of salicylic acid and its glucoside, as well as abscisic acid, was noted. The stimulatory effect of sugars on the production of ethylene was also reported. The protective role of soluble sugars in embryo axes of yellow lupine was seen in the limited development of infection and fusariosis. These results provide evidence for the enhanced generation of signaling molecules both by sugar alone as well as during the crosstalk between sugars and infection caused by F. oxysporum. However, a considerable postinfection increase in the level of these signaling molecules under the influence of sugars was recorded. The duration of the postinfection generation of these molecules in yellow lupine was also variable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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Review

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34 pages, 12254 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sucrose Metabolism and Transport in Grapevines, with Emphasis on Berries and Leaves, and Insights Gained from a Cross-Species Comparison

by Robert P. Walker, Claudio Bonghi, Serena Varotto, Alberto Battistelli, Crista A. Burbidge, Simone D. Castellarin, Zhi-Hui Chen, Philippe Darriet, Stefano Moscatello, Markus Rienth, Crystal Sweetman and Franco Famiani

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(15), 7794; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22157794 - 21 Jul 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3627

Abstract

In grapevines, as in other plants, sucrose and its constituents glucose and fructose are fundamentally important and carry out a multitude of roles. The aims of this review are three-fold. First, to provide a summary of the metabolism and transport of sucrose in grapevines, together with new insights and interpretations. Second, to stress the importance of considering the compartmentation of metabolism. Third, to outline the key role of acid invertase in osmoregulation associated with sucrose metabolism and transport in plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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29 pages, 2400 KiB

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Sucrose Utilization for Improved Crop Yields: A Review Article

by Oluwaseun Olayemi Aluko, Chuanzong Li, Qian Wang and Haobao Liu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(9), 4704; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22094704 - 29 Apr 2021

Cited by 64 | Viewed by 8062

Abstract

Photosynthetic carbon converted to sucrose is vital for plant growth. Sucrose acts as a signaling molecule and a primary energy source that coordinates the source and sink development. Alteration in source–sink balance halts the physiological and developmental processes of plants, since plant growth is mostly triggered when the primary assimilates in the source leaf balance with the metabolic needs of the heterotrophic sinks. To measure up with the sink organ’s metabolic needs, the improvement of photosynthetic carbon to synthesis sucrose, its remobilization, and utilization at the sink level becomes imperative. However, environmental cues that influence sucrose balance within these plant organs, limiting positive yield prospects, have also been a rising issue over the past few decades. Thus, this review discusses strategies to improve photosynthetic carbon assimilation, the pathways actively involved in the transport of sucrose from source to sink organs, and their utilization at the sink organ. We further emphasize the impact of various environmental cues on sucrose transport and utilization, and the strategic yield improvement approaches under such conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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21 pages, 1587 KiB

Open AccessReview

Convergence and Divergence of Sugar and Cytokinin Signaling in Plant Development

by Ming Wang, José Le Gourrierec, Fuchao Jiao, Sabine Demotes-Mainard, Maria-Dolores Perez-Garcia, Laurent Ogé, Latifa Hamama, Laurent Crespel, Jessica Bertheloot, Jingtang Chen, Philippe Grappin and Soulaiman Sakr

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(3), 1282; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22031282 - 28 Jan 2021

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 7150

Abstract

Plants adjust their growth and development through a sophisticated regulatory system integrating endogenous and exogenous cues. Many of them rely on intricate crosstalk between nutrients and hormones, an effective way of coupling nutritional and developmental information and ensuring plant survival. Sugars in their different forms such as sucrose, glucose, fructose and trehalose-6-P and the hormone family of cytokinins (CKs) are major regulators of the shoot and root functioning throughout the plant life cycle. While their individual roles have been extensively investigated, their combined effects have unexpectedly received little attention, resulting in many gaps in current knowledge. The present review provides an overview of the relationship between sugars and CKs signaling in the main developmental transition during the plant lifecycle, including seed development, germination, seedling establishment, root and shoot branching, leaf senescence, and flowering. These new insights highlight the diversity and the complexity of the crosstalk between sugars and CKs and raise several questions that will open onto further investigations of these regulation networks orchestrating plant growth and development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sugars in Plant Responses to Stress and Their Regulatory Function during Development)

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