title: More than the sum of its parts--how to achieve a specific transcriptional response to abiotic stress.
abstract: A rapid and appropriate response to stress is key to survival. A major part of plant adaptation to abiotic stresses is regulated at the level of gene expression. The regulatory steps involved in accurate expression of stress related genes need to be tailored to the specific stress for optimal plant performance. Accumulating evidence suggests that there are several processes contributing to signalling specificity: post-translational activation and selective nuclear import of transcription factors, regulation of DNA accessibility by chromatin modifying and remodelling enzymes, and cooperation between two or more response elements in a stress-responsive promoter. These mechanisms should not be viewed as independent events, instead the nuclear DNA is in a complex landscape where many proteins interact, compete, and regulate each other. Hence future studies should consider an integrated view of gene regulation composed of numerous chromatin associated proteins in addition to transcription factors. Although most studies have focused on a single regulatory mechanism, it is more likely the combined actions of several mechanisms that provide a stress specific output. In this review recent progress in abiotic stress signalling is discussed with emphasis on possible mechanisms for generating specific responses.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plant Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, Viikinkaari 1, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Lauri
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vaahtera
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brosché
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D001692:Biological Transport; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D002843:Chromatin; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000502:physiology*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000502:physiology*; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena / Q000235:genetics*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D018744:DNA, Plant; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors