Chapter 9 - Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases and stress response in plants

Abstract

Plants are exposed to a variety of environmental stresses during their lifespan and to counter these stresses they have evolved multiple strategies. Perception of various stresses is carried out through specialized proteins which recognize the stress signals through various mechanisms. Receptor-like protein kinases (RLKs) are the largest family of kinases in plants, which are involved in the perception of stress signals and responses. RLKs regulate many physiological processes including plant growth and development and hormone perception. They are responsible for the perception of various environmental stimuli and are involved in intercellular signal transductions through phosphorylation. Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) are one of the largest subgroups of RLKs in plants which are specifically involved in plant immune responses to various pathogens and other stresses. CRKs are cell membrane-localized proteins that are characterized by the presence of the cysteine-rich DUF26 domain, also known as the stress antifungal domain. They have been identified in various plant species and have been characterized for their role against a wide range of pathogens and microbes. Also, the role of CRKs has been documented under abiotic stresses like heat, drought, etc. In this chapter, we summarize the structural characteristics of CRKs along with their biological functions in various stresses.