Transcriptional Regulation and Signal Transduction Networks in Plant Growth, Development, Morphogenesis, and Environmental Responses

Submission Deadline: 30 April 2025 View: 236 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

A/Prof. Dr. Boon Chin Tan

Email: boonchin@um.edu.my

Affiliation: Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, MALAYSIA

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Research Interests: plant molecular biology, stress biology, genetic engineering, gene editing

Dr. Su-Ee Lau

Email: suee@um.edu.my

Affiliation: Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, MALAYSIA

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Research Interests:plant stress biology, plant biotechnology, genomics and transcriptomics

Summary

Signal transduction networks are essential for regulating plant growth, development, morphogenesis, and responses to environmental stresses. These networks involve intricate interactions between signaling molecules, receptors, and downstream effectors that coordinate various physiological processes. In plants, signal transduction pathways enable the perception of external stimuli, such as abiotic stresses (e.g., drought, salinity) and biotic challenges (e.g., pathogen attacks), and convert these signals into appropriate cellular responses.

Transcription factors play a crucial role within these networks by modulating gene expression in response to environmental cues and signaling pathways at various stages of development. They bind to specific promoter regions of target genes, influencing their transcription and thus mediating adaptive responses. For instance, major transcription factor families like WRKY, NAC, MYB, and AP2/ERF are involved in various signaling pathways that regulate stress responses, growth, and development. These families are frequently targeted in genetic engineering to enhance plant resistance to stressors. However, further field studies are needed to explore the practical applications of transcription factor genes for developing stress-resistant crops with high productivity.

During growth and development, these networks coordinate processes, such as cell differentiation, tissue patterning, and organ formation. They are also vital in morphogenesis, where they regulate the spatial and temporal patterns of plant structure to ensure proper development and adaptation.

Understanding these signal transduction networks and their components, including transcription factors, is essential for improving crop resilience and productivity. This Special Issue seeks to offer a platform for researchers, scholars, and professionals in plant science to share and disseminate knowledge, innovations, and insights into the molecular mechanisms governing plant growth, development, morphogenesis, and responses to environmental stresses.

We invite submissions of reviews, perspectives, original research, opinions, and methods that highlight recent advancements in understanding plant transcriptional regulation and signal transduction networks. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

· Plant signal transduction

· Plant transcriptional regulation

· Plant hormone regulation

· Regulatory mechanism of plant development and stress responses

· Regulation of gene expression in plants

Keywords