Aug 2026· Current opinion in plant biology· Vol 93, pp.
102951
· 0 citations· 53 references
Medicine
TL;DR
Recent advances in plant nutrient signalling during development are reviewed, focussing on how carbon and nitrogen signals inform shoot apical meristem activity and the emerging idea that meristem regulators may reciprocally influence nutrient signalling pathways and metabolism is considered.
Abstract
Plant development relies on a complex network of transcription factors and hormone signalling pathways that guide pattern formation and developmental transitions in the meristems. Yet, how this core network is regulated to enable developmental plasticity remains poorly understood. A key question is how information about nutrient availability influences growth decisions, with nutrients acting not only as substrates for energy production and anabolism but also as regulatory signals. Here, we review recent advances in plant nutrient signalling during development, focussing on how carbon and nitrogen signals inform shoot apical meristem activity. We also consider the emerging idea that meristem regulators may reciprocally influence nutrient signalling pathways and metabolism.
Treelines mark a functional limit of upright tree growth rather than a strict survival boundary. At these cold margins, photosynthesis and nonstructural carbohydrate reserves often remain sufficient, whereas apical and cambial growth decline, arguing against carbon limitation as the primary cause of growth cessation. We propose that chronic low temperature may contribute importantly to this pattern through hormonal regulation, notably reduced gibberellin availability and persistence of DELLA‐like repressors, together with altered auxin and brassinosteroid signaling. This could maintain meristems in a growth‐repressive state despite continued metabolic activity. We do not present this as the sole explanation for treeline formation, but as a plausible and testable regulatory mechanism that may operate alongside generally reduced metabolic rates and hydraulic or energetic constraints.
L. Dietrich, M. Zeidler· New Phytologist· 0 citations
Shoot branching, a major determinant of plant architecture and productivity, has long been attributed to the coordinated action of auxin, cytokinins (CKs), and strigolactones (SLs). Recent work shows that sugars act not only as metabolic resources but also as early developmental signals that regulate axillary bud outgrowth, the initial step in shoot branching. Sugar availability can rapidly trigger bud outgrowth, often preceding major hormonal changes. Mechanistically, sugars antagonize auxin and SL signaling while acting synergistically with CKs. These effects involve sugar signaling pathways mediated by trehalose 6-phosphate (Tre6P) and HEXOKINASE1 (HXK1), as well as metabolic reprogramming of glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (OPPP). The transcription factor BRANCHED1/TEOSINTE BRANCHED1 (BRC1/TB1) participates in this regulatory network by integrating specific sugar and hormonal inputs involved in the control of the transition between bud dormancy and bud outgrowth. Here, we synthesize current knowledge on the interplay between sugar metabolism, sugar signaling, and hormonal pathways in regulating bud fate and highlight key questions that will shape future research in this field.
S. Sakr, P. Grappin, José Le gourrierec et al.· Current opinion in plant bio...· 0 citations
This review synthesizes how light signaling coordinates with phytohormones and molecular mechanisms to execute the various developmental stages of a germinating seedling.
Shital Sandhya, Sunita Kushwah, Harshita B Saksena et al.· Frontiers in Plant Physiolog...· 0 citations
Light acts as both the primary energy source for photosynthesis and a pivotal environmental signal that orchestrates plant growth and developmental transitions. The plant vascular system, comprising xylem, phloem, and cambium, dynamically adjusts its development in response to light intensity, quality, and photoperiod. This review synthesises current knowledge on how light signalling regulates cambial activity, xylem and phloem differentiation, and secondary cell wall formation. We elaborate on the molecular interplay between light signalling components and key vascular developmental regulators. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for deciphering plant adaptation to variable light environments and holds significant potential for enhancing crop resilience and woody biomass yield in the context of global climate change.
Yufei Zhang, Yuexin Wu, Huimin Xu et al.· Plant, Cell and Environment· 0 citations
Plants depend on tight control of development and growth to establish their characteristic architectures. PLETHORA (PLT) transcription factors are among the most widely employed proteins that steer these processes across tissues. Since their discovery in Arabidopsis, it is becoming increasingly clear that their functional role extends to many other species. In this review, we explore how PLTs can act as universal architects of plant development. By integrating recent insights from embryo to shoot and from moss to flowering plants, we propose that they confer meristematic potential to tissues, which is primarily determined by their spatiotemporal expression patterns. We thereby highlight the necessity to study control of PLT transcription rather than to rely solely on orthologous relationships.
Merijn H. L. Kerstens, V. Willemsen· Journal of Experimental Bota...· 0 citations
The canonical plant bauplan is governed by the activity of the shoot apical meristem (SAM), a structural hub established during embryogenesis that produces repeating modular units known as phytomers. However, extreme morphological divergence in families such as Podostemaceae, Lemnaceae, and Gesneriaceae reveals the plasticity of plant developmental programs. In several lineages, the canonical deployment of meristematic programs is modified, displaced, or developmentally reduced, giving rise to divergent but evolutionarily successful body plans. This review explores the molecular interplay of meristematic regulators, characterizes the growth habits and genomic landscapes of these non-canonical lineages, and discusses how they may inform experimentally testable frameworks for engineering next-generation crop architectures.
C. M. Pozzi, A. Spada· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
