Plant Dehydrins: Expression, Regulatory Networks, and Protective Roles in Plants Challenged by Abiotic Stress

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 22; no. 23; p. 12619
• Main Authors: Sun, Zhenping, Li, Shiyuan, Chen, Wenyu, Zhang, Jieqiong, Zhang, Lixiao, Sun, Wei, Wang, Zenglan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 23.11.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: abiotic stress response; Abscisic acid; Abscisic Acid - metabolism; calcium ion; Calcium ions; Calcium Signaling; Calcium signalling; Cold; Crosstalk; Dehydrin; Drought; Embryogenesis; Environmental conditions; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Low temperature; MAP Kinase Signaling System; mitogen-activated protein kinase; Plant growth; Plant Physiological Phenomena; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant stress; Plants - metabolism; Plasma membranes; Proteins; Review; Seeds; Stress, Physiological; Water shortages; mitogen-activated protein kinase; abscisic acid; calcium ion; abiotic stress response; dehydrin
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312619

Dehydrins, also known as Group II late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins, are classic intrinsically disordered proteins, which have high hydrophilicity. A wide range of hostile environmental conditions including low temperature, drought, and high salinity stimulate dehydrin expression. Numerous studies have furnished evidence for the protective role played by dehydrins in plants exposed to abiotic stress. Furthermore, dehydrins play important roles in seed maturation and plant stress tolerance. Hence, dehydrins might also protect plasma membranes and proteins and stabilize DNA conformations. In the present review, we discuss the regulatory networks of dehydrin gene expression including the abscisic acid (ABA), mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade, and Ca signaling pathways. Crosstalk among these molecules and pathways may form a complex, diverse regulatory network, which may be implicated in regulating the same dehydrin.