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Feeling the Heat: Searching for Plant Thermosensors
Lam Dai Vu1, Kris Gevaert2, Ive De Smet3
1Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract:
To draw the complete picture of plant thermal signaling, it is important to find the missing links between the temperature cue, the actual sensing, and the subsequent response. In this context, several plant thermosensors have been proposed. Here, we compare these with thermosensors in various other organisms, put them in the context of thermosensing in plants, and suggest a set of criteria to which a thermosensor must adhere. Finally, we propose that more emphasis should be given to structural analysis of DNA, RNA, and proteins in light of the activity of potential thermosensors.
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