review · Stress Biology
Plants regularly encounter biotic and abiotic environmental stresses throughout their lives. To survive, they deploy complex defence systems that rely on secondary metabolites to enhance resilience. These bioactive compounds act as barriers against pathogens, deter herbivores, and guard against oxidative stress. External pressures such as drought, salinity, cold, heat, heavy metals, and UV-B radiation substantially alter the synthesis and accumulation of these metabolites. Transcription factors serve as vital regulators of this adaptive response by controlling gene expression linked to secondary metabolite biosynthesis. In particular, major transcription factor families including AP2/ERF, WRKY, bHLH, bZIP, MYB, and NAC interact with signalling pathways to coordinate plant defences. Their regulatory actions ensure the timely accumulation of protective compounds, ultimately enabling plants to tolerate and adapt to shifting environmental challenges.
Environmental challenges like drought, extreme temperatures, and pests threaten plant survival. Secondary metabolites act as natural shields that help plants cope with these stresses. Understanding how plant genetic switches, known as transcription factors, govern the production of these protective chemical compounds provides foundational insights into how plants adapt and survive in fluctuating or harsh environments.
The abstract does not indicate a direct application pathway, as it describes early-stage foundational review research. However, clarifying the transcription factors that control secondary metabolite synthesis could inform future crop improvement programmes aimed at enhancing stress tolerance. Potential users would include plant molecular biologists and agricultural breeders, though any real-world tool or commercial variety remains at an early discovery stage.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Abstract Plants encounter a wide range of biotic and abiotic environmental stresses throughout their lifespan. To adapt and survive, they have evolved complex defense mechanisms that involve the production of secondary metabolites (SMs), which play critical roles in enhancing plant resilience. These bioactive compounds function as deterrents to herbivores, barriers against pathogens, and protectants against oxidative stress. Plants regulate the synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites (SMs) in response to various environmental factors such as drought, salinity, cold, heat, heavy metals, and UV-B radiation. These stress conditions can significantly alter SM levels as part of the plant's adaptive response. Transcription factors (TFs) are essential mediators in this process, regulating gene expression involved in SM biosynthesis. By interacting with various signaling pathways, TFs fine-tune the plant's defense mechanisms, ensuring the timely accumulation of specific SMs that mitigate stress impacts. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the influence of environmental factors on SM accumulation in plants under both biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Additionally, we thoroughly discuss the roles of key TFs—including AP2/ERF, WRKY, bHLH, bZIP, MYB, and NAC—in regulating SM biosynthesis, highlighting their contributions to the plant's ability to withstand and adapt to stress.
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DOI: 10.1007/s44154-024-00201-w
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