About this Research Topic
The term extracellular matrix (ECM) and extracellular space (ECS) are routinely used to refer to the extracellular compartments of plant cells. While the ECM is a complex network of molecules, the ECS is a dynamic space outside the plasma membrane, composed of the cell wall, intercellular space, and apoplastic fluid. The plant cell walls provide structural and protective functions to cells, while also participating in signaling and cell-cell communication. Other components of the ECM include a myriad of proteins, metabolites, and ions, which cells secrete either consistently or in response to biotic or abiotic stresses. The ECM and its components play diverse roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. For instance, the apoplast, strategically located external to the cells, serves as a vital conduit for signaling, communication, and defense against external stressors. It could also serve as a repository for valuable biomarkers for stress adaptation. Consequently, we should expand our understanding of the plant ECM's composition, structure, and function.
Biotic and abiotic stresses, such as pathogen attack, diseases, drought, extreme temperatures, salinity, nutrient deficiency, heavy metal toxicity, and ultraviolet radiation, continue to limit plant growth and productivity. In the context of crops, these stresses can reduce crop yields, resulting in an insufficient food supply to meet population demands. In response to the detrimental effects of biotic and/or abiotic stresses on crop productivity, research efforts to comprehend plant responses to these stresses and utilize the knowledge gained for crop improvement are increasing. Consequently, countless systems biology studies have been published, including omics-based investigations on plant stress biology. Nevertheless, many of these studies have focused mainly on the intracellular components of plant cells, with limited but increasing attention to the plant ECM. Given that the apoplast lies at the interface of cells and their physical environment and plays a crucial role in signaling, communication, and defense systems, we need to improve our understanding of the plant apoplast's composition, structure, and function. This knowledge could help identify potential biomarkers for improved stress resilience in crops. Therefore, we encourage more systems biology studies on the cell wall, secreted proteins, metabolites, and ion components of the ECM, including their modification, remodeling, and interaction under stress conditions.
We encourage researchers to submit articles on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Composition, structure and function of the plant ECM, secreted proteins and/or secreted metabolites in response to biotic and /or abiotic stresses
- Structure, function, modification and/or remodeling of plant cell walls under biotic and/or abiotic stresses
- Proteomic and metabolomic profiling of plant apoplastic fluids in response to biotic and/or abiotic stresses
- The role of the plant ECM or apoplast in defense, ROS detoxification, protein degradation, signaling, cell-cell communication, and cell transport in stress response
- Bioinformatic tools and analyses of secreted proteins and secreted metabolites in plants
This Research Topic welcomes submissions of Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, Opinions, and Methods on various aspects of the plant ECM and its components in response to individual or combinations of abiotic and/or biotic stresses.
Biotic and abiotic stresses, such as pathogen attack, diseases, drought, extreme temperatures, salinity, nutrient deficiency, heavy metal toxicity, and ultraviolet radiation, continue to limit plant growth and productivity. In the context of crops, these stresses can reduce crop yields, resulting in an insufficient food supply to meet population demands. In response to the detrimental effects of biotic and/or abiotic stresses on crop productivity, research efforts to comprehend plant responses to these stresses and utilize the knowledge gained for crop improvement are increasing. Consequently, countless systems biology studies have been published, including omics-based investigations on plant stress biology. Nevertheless, many of these studies have focused mainly on the intracellular components of plant cells, with limited but increasing attention to the plant ECM. Given that the apoplast lies at the interface of cells and their physical environment and plays a crucial role in signaling, communication, and defense systems, we need to improve our understanding of the plant apoplast's composition, structure, and function. This knowledge could help identify potential biomarkers for improved stress resilience in crops. Therefore, we encourage more systems biology studies on the cell wall, secreted proteins, metabolites, and ion components of the ECM, including their modification, remodeling, and interaction under stress conditions.
We encourage researchers to submit articles on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Composition, structure and function of the plant ECM, secreted proteins and/or secreted metabolites in response to biotic and /or abiotic stresses
- Structure, function, modification and/or remodeling of plant cell walls under biotic and/or abiotic stresses
- Proteomic and metabolomic profiling of plant apoplastic fluids in response to biotic and/or abiotic stresses
- The role of the plant ECM or apoplast in defense, ROS detoxification, protein degradation, signaling, cell-cell communication, and cell transport in stress response
- Bioinformatic tools and analyses of secreted proteins and secreted metabolites in plants
This Research Topic welcomes submissions of Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, Opinions, and Methods on various aspects of the plant ECM and its components in response to individual or combinations of abiotic and/or biotic stresses.
Keywords: Extracellular matrix, Extracellular space, Apoplast, Apoplastic fluid, Biotic and Abiotic stresses, Defense, Cell wall modification, ROS detoxification, Protein degradation, Signaling, Cell transport, Secreted proteins, Secreted metabolites, Lipids, Sugar
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