We have identified a novel chemical signal that activates the expression of genes involved in salt and cold stress tolerance in plants.
Plants possess mechanisms to defend themselves against various environmental stresses such as cold and insect attacks. Central to these defense mechanisms are plant hormones known as jasmonates. Jasmonates are well-known for their roles in plant defense responses against pathogens and herbivores, as well as in wound signaling. Accordingly, their biosynthetic pathways and receptor systems have been the focus of extensive research.
In this study, we discovered that an intermediate compound generated during jasmonate biosynthesis possesses previously unknown and distinct physiological functions. This finding challenges the conventional view that only the final hormone product is functionally significant, revealing instead that intermediates can also play crucial and independent roles. Our findings provide a new perspective on the regulatory mechanisms of plant stress responses and are expected to contribute to the development of crops with enhanced tolerance to environmental stress, paving the way for more sustainable agricultural practices.
