Coding Information in Plant Cells: the Multiple Roles of Ca²⁺ as a Second Messenger

Abstract

“Kalzium macht alles”. With this sentence, the physiologist L. V. Heilbrunn described several decades ago what is still believed by many. The enormous attention this subject has received in the past 15 years has generated a vast amount of information which is helping us to understand how cells perceive and transduce a signal. This review focuses on some recent aspects of Ca²⁺ research and the perspectives that they open for future studies. However, Ca²⁺ is not the only element involved in signal transduction and its action depends on a complex network of signalling molecules, the role of which is discussed. Particular attention is given to the parallels emerging between plant and animal signalling and how we should explore them.

Key words

Calcium - calmodulin - Ins(1,4,5)P₃ - protein kinases