Regulatory network of GSK3-like kinases and their role in plant stress response

Abstract

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) family members are evolutionally conserved Ser/Thr protein kinases in mammals and plants. In plants, the GSK3s function as signaling hubs to integrate the perception and transduction of diverse signals required for plant development. Despite their role in the regulation of plant growth and development, emerging research has shed light on their multilayer function in plant stress responses. Here we review recent advances in the regulatory network of GSK3s and the involvement of GSK3s in plant adaptation to various abiotic and biotic stresses. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying how plants cope with environmental stresses through GSK3s-hormones crosstalk, a pivotal biochemical pathway in plant stress responses. We believe that our overview of the versatile physiological functions of GSK3s and underlined molecular mechanism of GSK3s in plant stress response will not only opens further research on this important topic but also provide opportunities for developing stress-resilient crops through the use of genetic engineering technology.

HbBIN2 Functions in Plant Cold Stress Resistance through Modulation of HbICE1 Transcriptional Activity and ROS Homeostasis in Hevea brasiliensis

“…Glycogen synthetase kinase GSK3, also known as hairy kinase (SK), is a versatile kinase that was originally discovered in rabbits [45]. In plants, BR-INSENSITIVE 2 (BIN2/SK21) is the best-known representative of GSK3 [29]. Our present research revealed that transgenic Arabidopsis lines that expressed HbBIN2 experienced far more severe cold stress damage than wild-type varieties (Figure 4).…”

“…Unlike humans, which have only two GSK3 isoforms, plants have evolved multiple GSK3 homologs [29,51]. Oryza sativa and Arabidopsis have 9 and 10 GSK3-like kinases, respectively [29,52].…”

“…Unlike humans, which have only two GSK3 isoforms, plants have evolved multiple GSK3 homologs [29,51]. Oryza sativa and Arabidopsis have 9 and 10 GSK3-like kinases, respectively [29,52]. BIN2 has two homologs in Arabidopsis, BIL1 and BIL2, which function in combination with BIN2 to adversely inhibit the BR signaling pathway [53].…”

“…Given their role as representative candidates, HbBIN2-1 and HbBIN2-3 were chosen as the key representatives for additional research. Emerging evidence has indicated that regulation of the subcellular localization of GSK3s significantly influences their biological functions in plants [29]. In Arabidopsis, SOS3/SCaBP8 alters BIN2 subcellular localization to regulate the salt stress response [32].…”

“…The activated BRI1 kinase then phosphorylates and activates BRI1-associated kinase 1 (BAK1) co-receptor, initiating a phosphorylation cascade that inhibits BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2), activating BR-dependent genes transcription [25,26]. BIN2, a glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), is a key negative regulator of the BR signaling pathway and controls how plants respond to both abiotic and biotic stressors [27][28][29]. In the context of rice, OsqGL3 (quantitative trait locus regulating grain length 3) has been identified as a negative regulator of brassinosteroid signaling.…”