Trehalose Metabolism and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide found at low concentrations in higher plants but plays an outsized role in stress physiology and signalling. Its synthesis proceeds via trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), formed by trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS), and dephosphorylation to trehalose by trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP). Although total trehalose levels remain modest, T6P has emerged as a key sensor of cellular sucrose status, regulating carbon allocation, growth and development through interaction with SNF1-related protein kinase1 (SnRK1). Under drought, salinity, heat or cold stress, trehalose and T6P modulate osmotic balance, stabilise proteins and membranes, and prime antioxidant and sugar-responsive pathways. Manipulation of trehalose metabolism by genetic engineering or exogenous application has been shown to enhance root architecture, stomatal behaviour and grain filling, yet overaccumulation may disrupt growth and development. Recent advances point to precise temporal or tissue-specific modulation of TPS, TPP or trehalase activity as routes to bolster crop resilience. The global imperative to secure yield under increasingly erratic climates has driven translation of trehalose-based strategies from model systems to staple cereals and perennial crops, underscoring the centrality of sugar-signal integration for sustainable agriculture.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Timed microdosing of a membrane-permeable, sunlight-activated T6P precursor in wheat has delivered substantial yield gains under both optimal and water-limited conditions over multiple field seasons. This non-transgenic approach enhanced photosynthetic carbon fixation and electron transport (‘source’), while promoting endosperm expansion, sieve-tube development and upregulation of genes for starch and protein synthesis (‘sink’). Yield increases were markedly greater than conventional breeding gains and achieved without additional inputs, demonstrating the feasibility of scalable trehalose-signal augmentation for cereal productivity and environmental sustainability.

Trehalose Metabolism and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in trehalose metabolism and abiotic stress tolerance in plants across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Trehalose: A non-reducing disaccharide of two glucose units that functions as an osmoprotectant and structural stabiliser.

Trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P): A phosphorylated intermediate in trehalose biosynthesis that serves as a sensor of sucrose availability and regulator of SnRK1.

Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS): The enzyme catalysing the formation of T6P from UDP-glucose and glucose-6-phosphate.

Trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP): The enzyme converting T6P to trehalose by removal of the phosphate group.

Trehalase: A hydrolase that degrades trehalose into two glucose molecules, influencing trehalose pool size and stress responses.

SNF1-related protein kinase1 (SnRK1): A central energy-sensing kinase inhibited by T6P, which modulates gene expression and metabolic pathways under stress.

References

1. Membrane-permeable trehalose 6-phosphate precursor spray increases wheat yields in field trials. Nature Biotechnology (2025).
2. Exogenous trehalose improves the survival of date palm suckers by enhancing thioredoxin-antioxidant systems activity. Plant Stress (2024).
3. Trehalose Metabolism: From Osmoprotection to Signaling. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2009).
4. Trehalose-6-Phosphate: Connecting Plant Metabolism and Development. Frontiers in Plant Science (2011).
5. Overexpression of the Trehalase Gene AtTRE1 Leads to Increased Drought Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis and Is Involved in Abscisic Acid-Induced Stomatal Closure. Plant Physiology (2013).
6. Fine tuning of trehalose biosynthesis and hydrolysis as novel tools for the generation of abiotic stress tolerant plants. Frontiers in Plant Science (2014).