Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 1, 2026
10:07
Identification of Post-translational Modifications of Plant Protein Complexes
Published on: February 22, 2014
24.7K
RAF-Like Protein Kinases in Plants.
Pengcheng Wang1, Jian-Kang Zhu1, Zhen Lin1,2
1Institute of Advanced Biotechnology, Institute of Homeostatic Medicine, and School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; email: wangpc@sustech.edu.cn, zhujk@sustech.edu.cn.
Annual Review of Plant Biology
|February 27, 2026
Summary
Plant RAF kinases, a type of MAPKKK, are crucial for sensing environmental stresses and mediating hormone responses like ABA. They play vital roles in plant adaptation and signaling pathways.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Molecular signaling
Background:
- RAF-like protein kinases (RAF kinases) are a key subclass of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinases (MAPKKKs) in plants.
- They are essential regulators of plant stress and hormone signaling pathways, with unique diversification compared to animal counterparts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on plant RAF kinases.
- To highlight their functional diversity, activation mechanisms, and importance in plant adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on plant RAF kinases.
- Analysis of conserved and specialized functions within RAF kinase subgroups (B and C).
Main Results:
- Plant RAF kinases are involved in sensing environmental stresses (e.g., hyperosmotic stress, elevated CO2).
- They mediate hormonal responses to abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene, and auxin.
- RAFs are implicated in guard cell signaling, immunity, and development, integrating various cues.
Conclusions:
- Plant RAF kinases exhibit significant functional diversity and are critical for adapting to environmental changes.
- Understanding their activation and roles is key to comprehending plant signaling networks.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
6.8K
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
6.8K
01:07MAPK Signaling Cascades
8.8K
Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
8.8K
01:22PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
5.9K
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast, mTORC2 consists of a...
5.9K
02:00Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light
28.7K
Light plays a significant role in regulating the growth and development of plants. In addition to providing energy for photosynthesis, light provides other important cues to regulate a range of developmental and physiological responses in plants.
28.7K
01:24Small GTPases - Ras and Rho
5.6K
Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
5.6K
01:22Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade
18.7K
When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze...
18.7K