plantencalciumafhankelijke

Plantencalciumafhankelijke is a term used to describe processes in plants whose activity relies on calcium ions (Ca2+) as a key signaling element. In plants, cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations rise and fall in response to environmental cues such as light, touch, drought, salinity, cold, and pathogen attack, creating Ca2+ signatures that encode information for downstream responses.

The decoding of Ca2+ signals is carried out by a set of calcium-binding proteins and kinases. Calmodulin and Ca2+-binding protein families translate Ca2+ changes into regulatory signals. Plant-specific calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) act as both sensors and enzymes, directly phosphorylating target proteins. The calmodulin-like proteins and the CBL-CIPK network form another major signaling module, linking Ca2+ changes to ion transport, metabolism, and gene expression. Together, these components regulate cellular processes such as enzyme activity, cytoskeleton dynamics, vesicle trafficking, and transcriptional programs.

Physiologically, Ca2+-dependent processes influence stomatal aperture, root and shoot growth, pollen tube guidance, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. For example, ABA-induced stomatal closure involves rapid Ca2+ elevations and downstream activation of kinases that close ion channels. In development, Ca2+ gradients regulate pollen tube growth and gravitropic responses. In defense, Ca2+ signals are early events that help activate immune responses.

Terminology varies; plantencalciumafhankelijke is not a widely standardized label, but it captures the central idea of calcium-dependent signaling in plants. Related concepts include calcium signaling, CDPK-mediated pathways, and the CBL-CIPK regulatory network.