Jack of all trades: crosstalk between FERONIA signaling and hormone pathways.

Abstract

The receptor kinase FERONIA (FER) is a multifaceted regulator of plant growth, development, reproduction, and stress responses. FER is functionally connected to many plant hormones in diverse biological processes. This review summarizes the current understanding of the interplay between FER and phytohormones, with a focus on abscisic acid, ethylene, jasmonic acid, auxin, and brassinosteroid. The mutual regulation between FER and plant hormones happens at multiple levels including ligands, receptors, and downstream signaling components. Plant hormones can regulate the expression of genes encoding FER and its ligands RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTORs (RALFs) as well as the abundance and kinase activity of FER proteins. On the other hand, FER can regulate hormone biosynthesis, transport, perception, and downstream signaling components such as transcription factors. Evidence of the crosstalk between FER and phytohormones is also emerging in crop species. Despite the rapid progress made in this field, more mechanistic studies are still needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the FER-phytohormone crosstalk. Future research prospects and potential approaches are also discussed in this review.