B Vitamins: An Update on Their Importance for Plant Homeostasis

Abstract

B vitamins are a source of coenzymes for a vast array of enzyme reactions, particularly those of metabolism. As metabolism is the basis of decisions that drive maintenance, growth, and development, B vitamin–derived coenzymes are key components that facilitate these processes. For over a century, we have known about these essential compounds and have elucidated their pathways of biosynthesis, repair, salvage, and degradation in numerous organisms. Only now are we beginning to understand their importance for regulatory processes, which are becoming an important topic in plants. Here, I highlight and discuss emerging evidence on how B vitamins are integrated into vital processes, from energy generation and nutrition to gene expression, and thereby contribute to the coordination of growth and developmental programs, particularly those that concern maintenance of a stable state, which is the foundational tenet of plant homeostasis.