Omics Approaches Toward Defining the Comprehensive Abscisic Acid Signaling Network in Plants

ABA is a plant hormone that plays crucial roles in controlling cellular and physiological responses to osmotic stress and in developmental processes. Endogenous ABA levels are increased in response to a decrease in water availability in cells, and ABA sensing and signaling are thought to be mediated according to the current model established in Arabidopsis thaliana, which involves pyrabactin resistance 1 (PYR)/PYR1-like (PYL)/regulatory components of ABA receptor (RCAR), protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) and sucrose non-fermenting-1 (SNF1)-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2). These core components of ABA signaling have a pivotal role in stress-responsive gene expression and stomatal regulation. However, because a limited number of their upstream and downstream factors have been characterized, it is still difficult to define the comprehensive network of ABA signaling in plants. This review focuses on current progress in the study of PYR/PYL/RCARs, PP2Cs and SnRK2s, with particular emphasis on omics approaches, such as interactome and phosphoproteome studies. Moreover, the role of ABA in plant growth and development is discussed based on recent metabolomic profiling studies.