Calcium ions (Ca2+) are important secondary messengers involved in both plant development and responses to abiotic and biotic stress. In both layers of plant immunity,
following the detection of a biotic stimulus, a specific Ca2+ signal is generated through the action of calcium channels and active transporters. This signal is recognized by calcium binding proteins, which convert it into a specific immune response through the positive or negative regulation of target proteins (transcription factors, channels, protein kinases, etc.), thus linking Ca2+ signalling with the production of reactive oxygen species, hormonal signalling, the transcription of defence genes, hypersensitive responses, and more. Due to these important regulatory roles, as well as the increasing technological advances in genetic transformation and genome editing, calcium signalling receptors and their target proteins represent the future of developing pathogen-resistant crops.
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