News on ABA transport, protein degradation and ABFs/WRKYs in ABA signalling

Abstract

[EN] The recent identification of abscisic acid (ABA) transporters provides an important insight into the delivery of ABA from the vascular system and its uptake by target cells. A putative connection with PYR/PYL receptors is envisaged, linking ABA uptake and intracellular perception by a fast and efficient mechanism. Downstream signaling of the core pathway involves regulation of ABA-responsive element binding factors (ABFs/AREBs) through phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and sumoylation in the case of ABI5. Several E3 ligases appear to regulate ABA signaling either positively or negatively, although relatively few targets are known yet. ABFs/AREBs are themselves subjected to transcriptional regulation, and some transcription factors (TFs) harboring the WRKY domain (WRKYs) appear to regulate their expression through W-box sequences present in the promoters of ABFs/AREBs.