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Updated: Feb 3, 2026
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Plant-Microbe Interaction: Transcriptional Response of Bacillus Mycoides to Potato Root Exudates
Published on: July 2, 2018
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Low-temperature tolerance in land plants: Are transcript and membrane responses conserved?
Sunil Kumar Kenchanmane Raju1, Allison C Barnes2, James C Schnable1
1Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, USA; Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, USA.
Summary
Plants adapt to cold by altering membrane lipids and gene expression. While some responses are universal, many low-temperature tolerance mechanisms are species-specific.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Environmental Stress Physiology
Background:
- Plant low-temperature tolerance is crucial for geographic distribution and growing seasons.
- Membrane fluidity and oxidative stress are key challenges for plants in cold environments.
- Species-specific adaptations in membrane lipid composition and gene regulation are vital for survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review low-temperature induced changes in membrane lipid composition and gene transcription.
- To identify core molecular and lipidomic responses across diverse plant species.
- To differentiate conserved versus species-specific mechanisms of cold tolerance.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of published data on plant responses to low temperatures.
- Examination of changes in membrane lipid saturation and types.
- Review of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Low-temperature stress induces changes in plant membrane lipid desaturation and composition.
- Both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation play roles in cold tolerance.
- Some molecular and lipidomic responses are conserved across species, while others are unique.
- Variations in experimental conditions and stress levels may influence observed responses.
Conclusions:
- Plant cold tolerance involves a complex interplay of lipidomic and transcriptomic adjustments.
- A core set of responses exists, but significant species-specific variations are evident.
- Further research is needed to understand the nuances of plant adaptation to cold stress.
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