Prion-like proteins as facilitators of molecular memory in plants

As sessile organisms, plants rely on environmental cues to make key developmental decisions. These decisions are rarely based on a single time point but instead emerge through the integration of past and present experiences, a process broadly referred to as molecular memory. Canonical epigenetic mechanisms operating at the chromatin and RNA levels are often viewed as major drivers of plant molecular memory, yet whether plants also exploit changes in protein state remains an open and compelling question. In this opinion piece, we speculate that prion-like proteins (PrLPs) may function as memory molecules in plants. Through switchlike changes in conformation or assembly state, PrLPs may convert environmental experiences into persistent molecular states to enable future developmental responses.