Why did glutamate, GABA, and melatonin become intercellular signalling molecules in plants?

ABSTRACT: Intercellular signalling is an indispensable part of multicellular life. Understanding the commonalities and differences in how signalling molecules function in two remote branches of the tree of life may shed light on the reasons these molecules were originally recruited for intercellular signalling. Here we review the plant function of three highly studied animal intercellular signalling molecules, namely glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and melatonin. By considering both their signalling function in plants and their broader physiological function, we suggest that molecules with an original function as key metabolites or active participants in reactive ion species scavenging have a high chance of becoming intercellular signalling molecules. Naturally, the evolution of machinery to

SUBMITTER: Caspi Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10281673 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature