Biomolecular Condensates in Plant Stress and Development: Recent Advances and Emerging Concepts

Area of Science:

• Plant biology
• Biochemistry
• Cell biology

Background:

• Biomolecular condensates organize cellular processes in plants without membranes.
• These condensates form via liquid-liquid phase separation, concentrating proteins and RNAs.
• They are essential for buffering stress, protecting macromolecules, and regulating gene expression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize current knowledge on plant biomolecular condensate functions.
• To focus on mechanisms in Arabidopsis thaliana.
• To discuss condensate roles in development and stress responses.

Main Methods:

• Review of biophysical principles (multivalent interactions, disordered regions).
• Discussion of condensate roles in plant development (seeds, light signaling, auxin, flowering).
• Examination of condensates in stress adaptation (stress granules, nuclear, organellar).
• Overview of experimental toolkits (imaging, FRAP, reconstitution, labeling, RNA profiling).

Main Results:

• Condensates form through specific molecular interactions and have tunable material properties.
• They regulate key developmental pathways and stress responses in plants.
• Various experimental methods are available for studying plant condensates, each with limitations.

Conclusions:

• Biomolecular condensates are vital for plant development and stress adaptation.
• Further research is needed on dynamic regulation, proteostasis, and organelle interactions.
• Understanding condensates is crucial for improving plant resilience in the context of climate change.