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Updated: Jul 22, 2026

Identification of Post-translational Modifications of Plant Protein Complexes
Published on: February 22, 2014
MAPK cascades in plant defense signaling
1Dept Biochemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, 117 Schweitzer Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. zhangsh@missouri.edu
Abstract:
The Arabidopsis genome encodes approximately 20 different mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) that are likely to be involved in growth, development and responses to endogenous and environmental cues. Several plant MAPKs are activated by a variety of stress stimuli, including pathogen infection, wounding, temperature, drought, salinity, osmolarity, UV irradiation, ozone and reactive oxygen species. Recent gain-of-function studies show that two tobacco MAPKs induce the expression of defense genes and cause cell death. By contrast, loss-of-function studies of other MAPK pathways revealed negative regulation of disease resistance. This 'push-and-pull' regulation by different MAPK pathways might provide a more precise control of plant defense responses.
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