Plant P-bodies in post-transcriptional control: Composition, dynamics, and context-dependent roles

Area of Science:

• Plant biology
• Molecular and Cell Biology

Background:

• Processing bodies (PBs) are cytoplasmic RNP granules concentrating mRNA decay and translation repression factors.
• Plant PBs share core machinery with other eukaryotes but possess unique features modulated by hormonal signaling and stress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize plant-focused evidence on PB composition, assembly, and function.
• To clarify the roles of plant PBs in mRNA decay and buffering.
• To integrate recent findings on post-translational and RNA modifications in selective mRNA targeting.

Main Methods:

• Literature synthesis of plant-specific findings.
• Analysis of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in PB assembly.
• Integration of data on post-translational modifications (e.g., MAPK-dependent DCP1 phosphorylation) and RNA modifications (m6A/ECT8).

Main Results:

• Plant PBs exhibit unique features influenced by hormonal signaling (e.g., ABA) and stress physiology.
• PBs function as dynamic hubs, acting as decay hotspots or buffering sites for non-translating mRNAs.
• Post-translational and RNA modifications play roles in selective mRNA targeting by PBs.

Conclusions:

• Plant PBs are dynamic hubs crucial for tuning post-transcriptional control to developmental and environmental cues.
• Interdisciplinary approaches combining live-cell imaging, proteomics, and genetics are resolving PB mechanisms.
• Further research is needed on PB spatial organization, stress granule crosstalk, and hormonal control.