Calcium signaling in plants.
Changes in the cytosolic concentration of calcium ions ([Ca(2+)]i) play a key second messenger role in signal transduction. These changes are visualized by making use of either Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescent dyes or the Ca(2+)-sensitive photoprotein, aequorin. Here we describe the advances made over the last 10 years or so, which have conclusively demonstrated a second messenger role for [Ca(2+)]i in a few model plant systems. Characteristic changes in [Ca(2+)]i have been seen to precede the responses of plant cells and whole plants to physiological stimuli. This has had a major impact on our understanding of cell signaling in plants. The next challenge will be to establish how the Ca(2+) signals are encrypted and decoded in order to provide specificity, and we discuss the current understanding of how this may be achieved.
Wolfson Laboratory for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
J J
JJ
Rudd
V E
VE
Franklin-Tong
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D002118:Calcium