Electrical and Chemical Signaling in Plant Systems

Electrical and chemical signalling enable plants to perceive environmental stimuli and coordinate systemic responses. Membrane potential changes such as action potentials and variation potentials propagate through vascular and cellular networks, allowing rapid information transfer across tissues. Ion channels, notably glutamate receptor-like proteins and annexins, mediate fluxes of Ca2+, K+ and Cl– that influence downstream events including reactive oxygen species production, hormonal regulation and transcriptional reprogramming. Chemical signals such as hormones, peptides and secondary messengers interplay with electrical cues to confer specificity, integrating abiotic and biotic stress responses, growth regulation and development. In particular, systemic acquired acclimation and systemic acquired resistance rely on a dynamic dialogue between electric, hydraulic, ROS and calcium waves. Recent advances in molecular genetics and high-resolution imaging have shed light on the structural basis of ion channel function and the spatiotemporal dynamics of long-distance signalling. Understanding these intertwined pathways has global significance for improving stress tolerance and agricultural productivity by manipulating signalling networks to enhance resilience under changing climates.

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Electrical and Chemical Signaling in Plant Systems publication trend

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Technical terms

Action potential: Rapid depolarisation and repolarisation of the membrane potential that propagates along cells.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules, such as hydrogen peroxide, that act as signalling messengers.

Glutamate receptor-like (GLR): A family of plant ion channels sensitive to amino acids that mediate Ca2+ signalling.

Systemic acquired acclimation (SAA): Coordinated whole-plant adjustment to stress involving rapid long-distance signalling.

Calcium wave: A propagating increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration that conveys information between tissues.

References

1. Merging Signaling with Structure: Functions and Mechanisms of Plant Glutamate Receptor Ion Channels. Annual Review of Plant Biology (2023).
2. Systemic signaling during abiotic stress combination in plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2020).
3. Vascular Bundles Mediate Systemic Reactive Oxygen Signaling during Light Stress. The Plant Cell (2020).
4. Electrical Signaling, Photosynthesis and Systemic Acquired Acclimation. Frontiers in Physiology (2017).