Sulfur homeostasis in plants: New functions of LSU genes in stress responses and phytohormone signaling
Sulfur is an essential macronutrient required for plant growth because it is a constituent of relevant biomolecules such as the amino acids methionine and cysteine, the antioxidant glutathione, coenzymes and prosthetic groups. Therefore, plants cannot adequately complete their life cycle when subjected to an S-deficiency condition. LSUs (RESPONSE TO LOW SULFUR) are plant-specific proteins of unknown function that were initially identified during transcriptomic studies of the sulfur deficiency response in Arabidopsis. Functional studies have shown that LSUs are important hubs of protein interaction networks with potential roles in plant stress responses. In particular, LSU proteins interact with members of the brassinosteroid, jasmonate signaling, and ethylene biosynthetic pathways, suggesting that LSUs may be involved in response to plant stress through modulation of phytohormones. Furthermore, in silico analysis of the promoter regions of LSU genes in Arabidopsis has revealed the presence of cis-regulatory elements that are potentially responsive to phytohormones such as ABA, auxin, and jasmonic acid, suggesting crosstalk between LSU proteins and phytohormones. In this work, we summarize current knowledge about the LSU gene family in plants and its potential role in phytohormone responses.
Publicación Original:
Canales, J., Arenas-M, A., Medina, J., Vidal, E.A. 2023. A Revised View of the LSU Gene Family: New Functions in Plant Stress Responses and Phytohormone Signaling. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24, 2819. DOI: