Defence‐related priming and responses to recurring drought: Two manifestations of plant transcriptional memory mediated by the ABA and JA signalling pathways. (29th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Avramova, Zoya
• Is Part Of: Plant, cell and environment. Volume 42:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 983
• Page End: 997
• Publication Date: 2018-11-29
• Subjects: dehydration stress -- herbivory -- hormones; Plant physiology -- Periodicals; Plant cells and tissues -- Periodicals; Plant communities -- Periodicals; 581.105
• DOI: 10.1111/pce.13458
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-7791

Abstract

Abstract: Collective evidence from agricultural practices and from scientific research has demonstrated that plants can alter their phenotypic responses to repeated biotic and abiotic stresses or their elicitors. A coordinated reaction at the organismal, cellular, and genome levels has suggested that plants can "remember" an earlier stress and modify their future responses, accordingly. Stress memory may increase a plant's survival chances by improving its tolerance/avoidance abilities and may provide a mechanism for acclimation and adaptation. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate plant stress memory is not only an intellectually challenging topic but has important implications for agricultural practices as well. Here, I focus exclusively on specific aspects of the transcription memory in response to recurring dehydration stresses and the memory‐type responses to insect damage in a process known as "priming." The questions discussed are (a) whether/how the two memory phenomena are connected at the level of transcriptional regulation; (b) how differential transcription is achieved mechanistically under a repeated stress; and (c) whether similar molecular and/or epigenetic mechanisms are involved. Possible biological relevance of transcriptional stress memory and its preservation in plant evolution are also discussed. Abstract : The review focuses exclusively on specific aspects of plant transcriptional memory displayed during recurring dehydration stresses and in responses to insect damage in a process known as "priming." Possible molecular mechanisms and biological relevance of transcriptional stress memory are discussed.