Multifaceted roles of GRAS transcription factors in growth and stress responses in plants
Vandana Jaiswal,
Mrinalini Kakkar,
Priya Kumari,
Gaurav Zinta,
Vijay Gahlaut,
Sanjay Kumar
Affiliations
Vandana Jaiswal
Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
Mrinalini Kakkar
Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi 110021, India
Priya Kumari
Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
Gaurav Zinta
Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India; Corresponding author
Vijay Gahlaut
Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India; Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi 110021, India; Corresponding author
Sanjay Kumar
Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
Summary: The GAI-RGA- and -SCR (GRAS) proteins regulate a myriad of biological functions in plants. The C-terminus of GRAS proteins is highly conserved, whereas the N-terminus is hypervariable. So far, GRAS proteins have been reported in more than 50 plant species. However, not many GRAS proteins are characterized, thus limiting the revelation of their many functions. This review provides a recent update on GRAS proteins, including their structural features, evolutionary gene family expansion/diversification, and interacting protein partners. Also, a mechanistic insight on GRAS protein-mediated plant growth and abiotic stress response is provided. For this, we assessed the transcriptional dynamics of GRAS genes in rice (monocot) and Arabidopsis (dicot) at different developmental stages and under several abiotic stresses. Lastly, the usage of genome-editing tools such as the CRISPR/Cas9 system to understand GRAS molecular functions is highlighted, with the ultimate goal of developing improved agronomic and climate-resilient traits in plants.
