Calcium/calmodulin-mediated signal network in plants

Trends Plant Sci. 2003 Oct;8(10):505-12. doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2003.09.004.

Abstract

Various extracellular stimuli elicit specific calcium signatures that can be recognized by different calcium sensors. Calmodulin, the predominant calcium receptor, is one of the best-characterized calcium sensors in eukaryotes. In recent years, completion of the Arabidopsis genome project and advances in functional genomics have helped to identify and characterize numerous calmodulin-binding proteins in plants. There are some similarities in Ca(2+)/calmodulin-mediated signaling in plants and animals. However, plants possess multiple calmodulin genes and many calmodulin target proteins, including unique protein kinases and transcription factors. Some of these proteins are likely to act as "hubs" during calcium signal transduction. Hence, a better understanding of the function of these calmodulin target proteins should help in deciphering the Ca(2+)/calmodulin-mediated signal network and its role in plant growth, development and response to environmental stimuli.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / classification
  • Arabidopsis / physiology
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / physiology
  • Calcium / physiology*
  • Calmodulin / genetics
  • Calmodulin / physiology*
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Physiological Phenomena*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Calmodulin
  • Calcium