Title:Protein Phosphatase Type 2C Functions in Phytohormone-Dependent Pathways and in Plant Responses to Abiotic Stresses
Volume: 22
Issue: 5
Author(s): Nguyen Nguyen Chuong, Xuan Lan Thi Hoang, Duong Hoang Trong Nghia, Thai Ngoc Trang Dai, Van-Anh Le Thi and Nguyen Phuong Thao*
Affiliation:
- Applied Biotechnology for Crop Development Research Unit, School of Biotechnology, International University, Quarter 6, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000,Vietnam
Keywords:
Abiotic stress, dephosphorylation, phosphorylation, phytohormones, PP2Cs, ABA signaling.
Abstract: Plants, as sessile organisms, are susceptible to a myriad of stress factors, especially abiotic
stresses. Over the course of evolution, they have developed multiple mechanisms to sense and
transduce environmental stimuli for appropriate responses. Among those, phosphorylation and
dephosphorylation, regulated by protein kinases and protein phosphatases, respectively, are
considered crucial signal transduction mechanisms. Regarding the latter group, protein phosphatases
type 2C (PP2Cs) represent the largest division of PPs. In addition, the discovery of regulatory
functions of PP2Cs in the abscisic acid (ABA)-signaling pathway, the major signal transduction
pathway in abiotic stress responses, indicates the significant importance of PP2C members in plant
adaptation to adverse environmental factors. In this review, current understanding of the roles of
PP2Cs in different phytohormone-dependent pathways related to abiotic stress is summarized,
highlighting the crosstalk between the ABA-signaling pathway with other hormonal pathways via
certain ABA-related PP2Cs. We also updated the progress of in planta characterization studies of
PP2Cs under abiotic stress conditions, providing knowledge of PP2C manipulation in developing
abiotic stress-tolerant crops.