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Stomata in motion: How temperature shapes guard cell function and developmental plasticity
Shao-Li Yang1,2, Martijn van Zanten3, Ive De Smet1,2
1Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.
The New Phytologist
|June 5, 2026
Summary
Temperature cues regulate plant stomata, controlling carbon gain and water loss. Understanding these temperature effects on stomatal development and dynamics is crucial for creating climate-resilient crops.
Area of Science:
- Plant physiology
- Plant development
- Environmental stress response
Background:
- Stomata are plant epidermal micropores regulating gas exchange and water balance.
- Stomatal development (number, size) and dynamics (aperture) are critical for plant survival under stress.
- Understanding stomatal responses to temperature is vital for crop resilience in a warming climate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize current knowledge on temperature's control over stomatal dynamics and development.
- To highlight how temperature cues influence rapid stomatal responses and long-term adaptation.
- To inform strategies for developing climate-resilient crops.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing scientific literature on temperature and stomatal regulation.
- Synthesis of data on stomatal dynamics (rapid responses) and development (long-term adaptation).
- Analysis of temperature's role in balancing carbon gain and water loss.
Main Results:
- Temperature significantly influences stomatal aperture for immediate gas exchange regulation.
- Temperature cues initiate developmental programs affecting stomatal number and size.
- A coordinated response of stomatal dynamics and development to temperature is essential for plant adaptation.
Conclusions:
- Temperature acts as a key environmental signal modulating both short-term stomatal function and long-term developmental trajectories.
- Insights into temperature-mediated stomatal control can guide the breeding of crops with enhanced stress tolerance.
- Further research into these regulatory mechanisms will aid in agricultural adaptation to climate change.
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Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
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