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AOBPreview originally published online on April 21, 2005
Annals of Botany 2005 96(1):1-8; doi:10.1093/aob/mci144
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org

BOTANICAL BRIEFING

Calcium: Just Another Regulator in the Machinery of Life?

CHRISTOPH PLIETH*

Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, Universität Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany

* For correspondence. E-mail cplieth{at}zbm.uni-kiel.de

Received: 1 November 2004    Returned for revision: 7 December 2004    Accepted: 1 March 2005    Published electronically: 21 April 2005

ABSTRACT

• Background Current hypotheses imply that stimulus–response systems in plants are networks of signal transduction pathways. It is usually assumed that these pathways connect receptors with effectors via chains of molecular events. Diverse intermediate signalling components (transducers) participate in these processes. However, many cellular transducers respond to several stimuli. Hence, there are no discrete chains but rather pathways that interconnect network-modules of different command structure. In particular, the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) is thought to perform many different tasks in a wide range of cellular events. However, this range of putative functions is so wide that it is often questioned how Ca2+ can comply with the definition of a second messenger.

• The Ca2+ Signature Hypothesis Some authors have suggested the concept of a specific signature of the ([Ca2+]cyt) response. This implies that characteristics of the time course of changes in ([Ca2+]cyt) and their localized sites of appearance in cells are used by the plant to identify the type and intensity of the stimulus. This hypothesis has triggered many investigations, which have yielded contradictory results.

• The Current Picture Much evidence suggests that the functions of calcium can be grouped into three classes: Ca2+ as a protective agent, Ca2+ as a chemical switch and Ca2+ as a ‘digital’ information carrier. Examples of the first two classes are presented here. The third is more controversial; while some investigations seem to support this idea, others call the Ca2+ signature hypothesis into question. Further investigations are needed to shed more light on Ca2+-driven signalling cascades.

Key words: Action potential, aequorin, calcium signature, cameleon, clomeleon, guard cells, information-encoding, salt-stress


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