Agricultural Reviews

  • Chief EditorPradeep K. Sharma

  • Print ISSN 0253-1496

  • Online ISSN 0976-0741

  • NAAS Rating 4.84

Frequency :
Quarterly (March, June, September & December)
Indexing Services :
AGRICOLA, Google Scholar, CrossRef, CAB Abstracting Journals, Chemical Abstracts, Indian Science Abstracts, EBSCO Indexing Services, Index Copernicus
Agricultural Reviews, volume 36 issue 2 (june 2015) : 133-139

Ethylene signal transduction and signaling roles-A Review

Shantanu Das*, Suvendhu Sekhar Dutta, Samik Chowdhury, Kaushik Das
1Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785 013, Assam, India.
Cite article:- Das* Shantanu, Dutta Sekhar Suvendhu, Chowdhury Samik, Das Kaushik (2024). Ethylene signal transduction and signaling roles-A Review. Agricultural Reviews. 36(2): 133-139. doi: 10.5958/0976-0741.2015.00015.X.
The ethylene is a gaseous hormone which plays multiple roles in regulating plant growth and development andalso serves as a key modulator of the plant’s response to biotic or abiotic stresses. Its production is tightly regulated by internal signals during development and in response to environmental stimuli from biotic and abiotic stresses. Arabidopsis is a model plant to understand the ethylene signal transduction. In Arabidopsis, ethylene is perceived by a family of five receptors such as ETR1, ETR2, ERS1, ERS2 and EIN4 which are predominantly localized to the ER membrane. Ethylene receptor can be divided into two subfamilies i.e. type I and type II subfamilies, depending on the basis of structural similarities. CTR1 functions as a key mediator of ethylene signal transduction. Ethylene was originally regarded as a stress hormone because its synthesis is induced by a variety of environmental stress signals. Among the environmental stresses, such as ozone, wounding, and UV irradiation are the stimulationsfor ethylene synthesis. Enhanced ethylene production is an early, active response of plants to perception of pathogen attack and is associated with the induction of defence reactions. The elucidation of the mechanisms of ethylene signal transduction in response to biotic and abiotic stress is providing a framework for understanding how all plants sense and respond to ethylene.
  1. Abeles, F.B., Morgan, P.W. and Saltveit, M.E. (1992). Ethylene in Plant Biology. Academic Press, San Diego, CA.
  2. Acharya, B.R. and Assmann, S.M., (2009). Hormone interactions in stomatal Function. Plant Molecular Biology, 69: 451-462.
  3. Adams, D.O. and Yang, S.F.(1979). Ethylene biosynthesis: identification of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid as an intermediate in the conversion of methionine to ethylene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 76:170-174.
  4. An, L., Xu, X., Tang, H., Zhang, M., Hou, Z., Liu, Y., Zhao, Z., Feng, H., Xu, S. and Wang, X., (2006). Ethylene production and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase gene expression in tomato (Lycopsicon esculentum Mill.) leaves under enhanced UV-B radiation. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 48: 1190-1196.
  5. Arshad, M. and Frankenberger, W.T.(1992). Ethylene, Agricultural Sources and Applications, Kluwer/Plenum New York.
  6. Bisson, M.M. and Groth, G.(2010). New insight in ethylene signaling: autokinase activity of ETR1 modulates the interaction of receptors and EIN2. Molecular Plant,3: 882-889.
  7. Bisson, M.M., Bleckmann, A., Allekotte, S. and Groth, G.(2009). EIN2, the central regulator of ethylene signalling, is localized at the ER membrane where it interacts with the ethylene receptor ETR1. Biochemical Journal, 424: 1-6.
  8. Bleecker, A.B. and Kende, H. (2000). Ethylene: a gaseous signal molecule in plants. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol, 16: 1-18.
  9. Boller, T.(1991). Ethylene in pathogenesis and disease resistance. In The Plant Hormone Ethylene (Mattoo AK and Suttle JC, eds), 293-314, CRC Press.
  10. Chang, C. and Stadler, R. (2001). Ethylene hormone receptor action in Arabidopsis. Bioessays, 23: 619-627.
  11. Chen, Y.F., Randlett, M.D., Findell, J.L. and Schaller, G.E. (2002). Localization of the ethylene receptor ETR1 to the endoplasmic reticulum of Arabidopsis. Journal of Biological Chemistry,277: 19861-19866.
  12. Chen, Y.F., Shakeel, S.N., Bowers, J., Zhao, X.C., Etheridge, N. and Schaller, G.E.(2007). Ligand-induced degradation of the ethylene receptor ETR2 through a proteasome-dependent pathway in Arabidopsis. Journal of Biological Chemistry,282: 24752-24758.
  13. Ciardi, J. A., Tieman, D. M., Lund, S. T., Jones, J. B., Stall, R. E. and Klee, H. J. (2000).Response to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria in tomato involves regulation of ethylene receptor gene expression. Plant Physiol, 123: 81-92.
  14. Ciardi, J. A., Tieman, D. M.,Jones, J. B. and Klee, H. J. (2001). Reduced expression of the tomato ethylene receptor gene LeETR4 enhances the hypersensitive response to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact, 14: 487-495.
  15. Desikan, R., Hancock, J.T., Bright, J., Harrison, J., Weir, I., Hooley, R. and Neill, S.J. (2005). A role for ETR1 in hydrogen peroxide signalling in stomatal guard cells. Plant Physiology,137: 831-834.
  16. Desikan, R., Last, K., Harrett-Williams, R., Tagliavia, C., Harter, K., Hooley, R., Hancock, J.T. and Neill, S.J.(2006). Ethylene-induced stomatal closure in Arabidopsis occurs via AtrbohF-mediated hydrogen peroxide synthesis. The Plant Journal, 47: 907-916.
  17. Dong, X. (1998). SA, JA, ethylene, and disease resistance in plants. Curr. Opin. Plant Biol, 1: 316-323.
  18. Durrant, W.E. and Dong, X. (2004). Systemic Acquired Resistance. Annu Rev of Phytopathol, 42: 185-209.
  19. Ecker, J.R. (1995).The ethylene signal transduction pathway in plants. Science,268: 667-675.
  20. Elad, Y.(1993). Regulators of ethylene biosynthesis or activity as a tool for reducing susceptibility of host plant tissues to infection by Botrytis cinerea. Neth. J. Plant Pathol,99: 105-113.
  21. Gao, Z., Chen, Y.F., Randlett, M.D., Zhao, X.C., Findell, J.L., Kieber, J.J. and Schaller, G.E. (2003). Localization of the Raf- like kinase CTR1 to the endoplasmic reticulum of Arabidopsis through participation in ethylene receptor signaling complexes. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278: 34725-34732.
  22. Gao, Z., Wen, C.K., Binder, B.M., Chen, Y.F., Chang, J., Chiang. Y.H., Kerris, R.J. I.I.I., Chang, C. and Schaller, G.E. (2008). Heteromeric interactions among ethylene receptors mediate signaling in Arabidopsis. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283: 23801-23810.
  23. Garty, J., Weissman, L., Levin, T., Garty-Spitz, R. and Lehr, H. (2004). Impact of UV-B, heat and chemicals on ethylene- production of Lichens. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry,49: 1-3.
  24. Grefen,C., Stadele, K., Ruzicka, K., Obrdlik, P., Harter, K. and Horak, J. (2008). Subcellular localization and in vivo interactions of the Arabidopsis thaliana ethylene receptor family members. Molecular Plant, 1: 308-320.
  25. Guo, H. and Ecker, J.R. (2004). The ethylene signalling pathway: new insights. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 7: 40-49.
  26. Hall, A.E., Findell, J.L., Schaller, G.E., Sisler, E.C. and Bleecker, A.B. (2000). Ethylene perception by the ERS1 protein in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 2000; 123: 1449-1458.
  27. Hall, B.P., Shakeel, S.N., Amir, M., Haq, N.U., Qu, X. and Schaller, G.E. (2012). Histidine kinase activity of the ethylene receptor ETR1 facilitates the ethylene response in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology, 159: 682-695.
  28. Hattori, Y., Nagai, K., Furukawa, S., Song, X.J., Kawano, R., Sakakibara, H., Wu, J.Z., Matsumoto, T., Yoshimura, A., Kitano, H., Matsuoka, M., Mori, H. and Ashikari, M.(2009). The ethylene response factors SNORKEL1 and SNORKEL2 allow rice to adapt to deep water. Nature,460: 1026-1030.
  29. He, J-M., Xu, H., She, X-P., Song, X-G and Zhao, W-M. (2005). The role and the interrelationship of hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide in the UV-B induced stomatal closure in broad bean. Functional Plant Biology,32: 237-247.
  30. Hoffman, R., Roebroeck, E. and Heale, J. B. (1988). Effects of ethylene biosynthesis in carrot root slices on 6-methoxymellein accumulation and resistance to Botrytis cinerea. Physiol Plant, 73: 71-76.
  31. Jackson, M.B. (2008). Ethylene-promoted elongation: an adaptation to submergence stress. Annals of Botany,101:229-248.
  32. Johnson, P.R., and Ecker, J.R. (1998).The ethylene gas signal transduction pathway: A molecular perspective. Annu Rev Genet,32: 227-254.
  33. Ju, C. and Chang, C. (2012). Advances in ethylene signaling: protein complexes at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. AoB PLANTS, pls031; doi: 10.1093/aobpla/pls031.
  34. Kende, H.(1993). Ethylene biosynthesis. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol,44: 283-307.
  35. Kieber, J.J., Rothenberg, M., Roman, G., Feldmann, K.A. and Ecker, J.R. (1993). CTR1, a negative regulator of the ethylene response pathway in Arabidopsis, encodes a member of the raf family of protein kinases. Cell,72: 427-441.
  36. Lamb, C. and Dixon, R.A. (1997).The oxidative burst in plant disease resistance. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol, 48: 251-275.
  37. Levine, A., Tenhaken, R., Dixon, R. and Lamb, C. (1994).H2O2 from the oxidative burst orchestrates the plant hypersensitive disease resistance response. Cell, 79: 583-593.
  38. Mackerness, S.A.H, John, C.F., Jordan, B. and Thomas, B.(2001). Early signalling components in ultraviolet-B responses: distinct roles for different reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide. FEBS Letters,489: 237-242.
  39. Nara, A. and Takeuchi, Y. (2002).Ethylene evolution from tobacco leaves irradiated with UV-B. Journal of Plant Research,115: 247-253.
  40. O’Donnell, P.J., Calvert, C., Atzorn, R., Wasternack, C., Leyser, H.M.O. and Bowles, D.J. (1996). Ethylene as a signal mediating the wound response of tomato plants. Science, 274: 1914-1917.
  41. Orozco-Cardenas, M. and Ryan, C.A.(1999). Hydrogen peroxide is generated systemically in plant leaves by wounding and systemin via the octadecanoid pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 96: 6553-6557.
  42. Pellinen, R., Palva, T. and Kangasjarvi, J. (1999). Subcellular localization of ozone-induced hydrogen peroxide production in birch (Betula pendula) leaf cells. Plant J, 20: 349-356.
  43. Pieterse, C.M.J., Van Wees, S.C.M., Van Pelt, J.A., Knoester, M., Gerrits, R.L.H., Weisbeek, P.J. and Van Loona, L.C. (1998). A Novel Signaling Pathway Controlling Induced Systemic Resistance in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell, 10: 1571-1580.
  44. Sandermann, H., Ernst, D., Heller, W. and Langebartels, C. (1998). Ozone: An abiotic elicitor of plant defence reactions. Trends Plant Sci.3: 47-50.
  45. Schaller, G.E. (2012). Ethylene and the regulation of plant development. BMC Biology10: 9. doi:10.1186/1741-7007-10-9.
  46. Shakeel, S,N., Wang, X., Binder, B.M. and Schaller, G.E. (2013).Mechanisms of signal transduction by ethylene: overlapping and nonoverlapping signalling roles in a receptor family. AoB PLANTS, 5: plt010; doi:10.1093/aobpla/plt010.
  47. Stepanova, A.N. and Alonso, J.A. (2009). Ethylene signaling and response: where different regulatory modules meet. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 12:548-555.
  48. Sticher, L., Mauch-Mani, B. and Metraux, J.P. (1997). Systemic Acquired Resistance. Annu Rev Phytopathol35: 235-270.
  49. Surplus, S.L., Jordan, B.R., Murphy, A.M., Carr, J.P., Thomas, B. and Mackerness, S.A.H. (1998). Ultraviolet-B-induced responses in Arabidopsis thaliana: role of SA and reactive oxygen species in the regulation of transcripts encoding photosynthetic and acidic pathogenesis-related proteins. Plant, Cell and Environment, 21: 685-694.
  50. UNEP. Executive summary. Final of UNEP/WMO scientific assessment of ozone depletion: 2002. Prepared by the scientific assessment panel of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer. UNEP, Nairobi. 2002 (Released 23 August 2002).
  51. Van Loon, L.C., Bakker, P.A.H.M. and Pieterse, C.M.J.(1998).Systemic resistance induced by rhizosphere bacteria. Annu Rev Phytopathol, 36: 453-483.
  52. Wang, K.L.C., Li, H. and Ecker, J.R. (2002). Ethylene biosynthesis and signalling networks. The Plant Cell 14, 1: 131-151.
  53. Watanabe, T., Seo, S. and Sakai, S. (2001).Wound-induced expression of a gene for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase and ethylene production is regulated by both reactive oxygen species and jasmonic acid in Cucurbita maxima. Plant Physiol Biochem, 39: 121-127.
  54. Wilkinson, S. and Davies, W.J. (2010). Drought, ozone, ABA and ethylene: new insights from cell to plant to community. Plant, Cell and Environment, 33: 510-525.
  55. www.howardbiolab.com/upload/1850_lecturefile.
  56. Zhong, S., Lin, Z. and Grierson, D. (2008). Tomato ethylene receptor-CTR interactions: visualization of NEVER-RIPE interactions with multiple CTRs at the endoplasmic reticulum. Journal of Experimental Botany, 59: 965-972.

Editorial Board

View all (0)