Sorbitol Metabolism and Stress Responses in Plants
Summary
Sorbitol is a six-carbon sugar alcohol that serves as both a primary translocated carbohydrate and an osmoprotectant in many plant species, notably members of the Rosaceae family. Biosynthesis begins with the reduction of glucose-6-phosphate to sorbitol-6-phosphate via sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (S6PDH), followed by dephosphorylation and loading into the phloem through specialised sorbitol transporters (SOTs). In sink tissues, sorbitol is oxidised to fructose by sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), thereby contributing to carbon partitioning and energy supply. Beyond its role in primary metabolism, sorbitol accumulation and turnover influence plant responses to drought, salinity and cold by adjusting cellular osmotic potential, stabilising membranes and scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Both endogenous regulation and exogenous application of sorbitol have shown promise for crop improvement under abiotic stress, offering routes to enhance yield stability, fruit quality and resilience in a changing climate.
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Sorbitol Metabolism and Stress Responses in Plants publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in sorbitol metabolism and stress responses in plants across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Sorbitol: A sugar alcohol used as a translocated carbohydrate and osmolyte in many plants.
S6PDH: Sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the enzyme catalysing the rate-limiting step of sorbitol synthesis.
SDH: Sorbitol dehydrogenase, the enzyme responsible for oxidising sorbitol to fructose in sink tissues.
SOT: Sorbitol transporter, a membrane protein mediating sorbitol loading and unloading in the phloem.
Osmoprotectant: A compound that helps maintain cell turgor and enzyme function under osmotic stress.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules derived from oxygen that can cause cellular damage under stress.
References
- Evolutionary dynamics and functional characterization of proximal duplicated sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase genes in Rosaceae. Frontiers in Plant Science (2024).
- Exogenous Sorbitol Application Confers Drought Tolerance to Maize Seedlings through Up-Regulating Antioxidant System and Endogenous Sorbitol Biosynthesis. Plants (2023).
- Genome-wide identification and comparative evolutionary analysis of sorbitol metabolism pathway genes in four Rosaceae species and three model plants. BMC Plant Biology (2022).
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