TY - JOUR
T1 - Why did glutamate, GABA, and melatonin become intercellular signalling molecules in plants?
AU - Caspi, Yaron
AU - Pantazopoulou, Chrysoula K
AU - Prompers, Jeanine J
AU - Pieterse, Corné M J
AU - Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke
AU - Kajala, Kaisa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Caspi et al.
PY - 2023/6/20
Y1 - 2023/6/20
N2 - Intercellular signalling is an indispensable part of multicellular life. Understanding the commonalities and differences in how signalling molecules function in two remote branches of the tree of life may shed light on the reasons these molecules were originally recruited for intercellular signalling. Here we review the plant function of three highly studied animal intercellular signalling molecules, namely glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and melatonin. By considering both their signalling function in plants and their broader physiological function, we suggest that molecules with an original function as key metabolites or active participants in reactive ion species scavenging have a high chance of becoming intercellular signalling molecules. Naturally, the evolution of machinery to transduce a message across the plasma membrane is necessary. This fact is demonstrated by three other well-studied animal intercellular signalling molecules, namely serotonin, dopamine, and acetylcholine, for which there is currently no evidence that they act as intercellular signalling molecules in plants.
AB - Intercellular signalling is an indispensable part of multicellular life. Understanding the commonalities and differences in how signalling molecules function in two remote branches of the tree of life may shed light on the reasons these molecules were originally recruited for intercellular signalling. Here we review the plant function of three highly studied animal intercellular signalling molecules, namely glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and melatonin. By considering both their signalling function in plants and their broader physiological function, we suggest that molecules with an original function as key metabolites or active participants in reactive ion species scavenging have a high chance of becoming intercellular signalling molecules. Naturally, the evolution of machinery to transduce a message across the plasma membrane is necessary. This fact is demonstrated by three other well-studied animal intercellular signalling molecules, namely serotonin, dopamine, and acetylcholine, for which there is currently no evidence that they act as intercellular signalling molecules in plants.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165389107&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7554/eLife.83361
DO - 10.7554/eLife.83361
M3 - Review article
C2 - 37338964
SN - 2050-084X
VL - 12
JO - eLife
JF - eLife
M1 - e83361
ER -