Role of mitogen activated protein kinase cascade in combating abiotic stress in plants

Abstract

Plants being sessile have to counter a plethora of stresses, both biotic and abiotic in order to grow and survive. The ability of plants to perceive these stresses at the cell surface and transduce them to the nucleus for appropriate cellular readjustment is one of the most sophisticated mechanisms they have developed during the process of evolution. Among several cascades helping in signal transduction, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is one of the most important cascades that is ubiquitously present in all eukaryotes. This unique protein cascade is also involved in several developmental and vital processes in plants. This is essentially a phosphorelay cascade consisting of three components, a MAPK kinase kinase (MAPKKK/MAP3K/MEKK/MKKK), a MAPK kinase (MAPKK/MAP2K/MEK/MKK), and a MAPK (MPK) connected to each other by the event of phosphorylation. All these components of MAPK cascade are multigene family and are involved in efficient transmission of specific stimuli in response to stress signaling. In the present chapter, we will highlight the involvement of different members of this phosphorelay cascade during abiotic stress in plants.