Beat the Heat: Signaling Pathway-Mediated Strategies for Plant Thermotolerance

Abstract

The frequent high temperatures caused by climate change have a very adverse impact on the growth and development of plants at different growth stages. Almost all cellular processes in plants are highly sensitive to high temperatures, but plants have their unique heat-resistant strategies. The plasma membrane usually senses temperature changes through changes in membrane fluidity. The accumulation of damaged proteins and reactive oxygen species in biofilms also helps calcium ions and thermal sensors cascade signals to transcription factors, thereby resisting high temperatures. There are also misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum and cytoplasm due to heat stress, which act as heat conduction signals. Carbohydrates commonly found in organisms can also serve as signaling molecules and participate in heat stress response. Heat shock transcription factor can effectively regulate the expression of heat-induced genes, producing heat shock proteins to maintain intracellular homeostasis.