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CARBOHYDRATE-MODULATED GENE EXPRESSION IN PLANTS.
1Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611.
Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology
|June 1, 1996
Summary
Plant gene expression adapts to sugar levels, influencing photosynthesis, storage, and resource distribution. This ancient system aids cellular adjustment and plant acclimation to environmental changes.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Plant physiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Plant gene responses to carbohydrate availability are complex, involving gene induction, repression, or minimal changes.
- Sugar-sensitive plant genes are part of an ancient nutrient-sensing system, also crucial for resource allocation in multicellular plants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review molecular and whole-plant level insights into plant gene responses to carbohydrate status.
- To explore emerging models for sensing and transducing carbohydrate signals in plants.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of molecular and physiological studies on plant carbohydrate signaling.
- Analysis of gene expression patterns under varying carbohydrate conditions.
- Examination of models for carbohydrate signal transduction pathways.
Main Results:
- Carbohydrate depletion upregulates genes for photosynthesis, remobilization, and export, while downregulating storage and utilization genes.
- Abundant sugar levels induce opposite effects, repressing certain genes and inducing others.
- Carbohydrate-responsive gene expression is sensitive to environmental and developmental signals, facilitating plant acclimation.
Conclusions:
- Plant gene regulation by carbohydrates is a fundamental mechanism for cellular adjustment and resource partitioning.
- Understanding these pathways is key to comprehending plant acclimation and adaptation to diverse conditions.