Membrane stability under heat stress: molecular signaling, lipid remodeling, and defense mechanisms in plants

Heat stress significantly affects plant growth by compromising cellular membranes. This review examines the mechanisms by which plants perceive heat at the plasma membrane, initiate lipid changes, and activate protective proteins to maintain membrane integrity. The investigation focuses on essential signaling pathways that encompass heat shock transcription factors, phospholipid messengers, reactive oxygen species (ROS), calcium, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). We underscore lipid modification, especially in plasma and thylakoid membranes, to preserve membrane fluidity during thermal stress, alongside the functions of small heat shock proteins, Hsp70, and Hsp90. We examine ways to enhance thermotolerance, including conventional breeding, genetic engineering, and genome editing focused on desaturases, membrane lipids, and heat shock protein regulators. The relationship between antioxidant and osmolyte responses, along with their interplay with salinity and drought stress, is analyzed. Significant research deficiencies are recognized, especially regarding the relationships among field performance, organelle interactions, proteostasis, and lipidomics. This review synthesizes novel notions of inter-organelle coordination, thermomemory, and sophisticated biophysical imaging tools to investigate membrane dynamics and thermotolerance, presenting new opportunities for cultivating crops adaptable to increasing temperatures.