Flavonols modulate plant development, signaling, and stress responses

• Published in: Current opinion in plant biology Vol. 72; p. 102350
• Main Authors: Daryanavard, Hana, Postiglione, Anthony E., Mühlemann, Joëlle K., Muday, Gloria K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2023
• Subjects: Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Arabidopsis thaliana; auxins; biochemical pathways; Flavonoids; Flavonols; Flavonols - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; growth and development; guard cells; metabolites; Plant Development; plant growth; pollen; Pollen development; Reactive oxygen species; Root development; Signal Transduction; Stomatal closure; testa; Pollen development; Flavonols; Flavonoids; Reactive oxygen species; Stomatal closure; Root development
• ISSN: 1369-5266; 1879-0356; 1879-0356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102350

Flavonols are plant-specialized metabolites with important functions in plant growth and development. Isolation and characterization of mutants with reduced flavonol levels, especially the transparent testa mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana, have contributed to our understanding of the flavonol biosynthetic pathway. These mutants have also uncovered the roles of flavonols in controlling development in above- and below-ground tissues, notably in the regulation of root architecture, guard cell signaling, and pollen development. In this review, we present recent progress made towards a mechanistic understanding of flavonol function in plant growth and development. Specifically, we highlight findings that flavonols act as reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers and inhibitors of auxin transport in diverse tissues and cell types to modulate plant growth and development and responses to abiotic stresses.