Multiple transition metals: among others, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Mo are essential constituents of proteins and cofactors in cells of plants and algae but they also have important roles in the apoplast. Under biological conditions, the redox-active nature of essential transition metals, allows them to drive biochemical reactions. Shortage in their uptake and accumulation limits enzyme reactions, while overaccumulation often drives uncontrolled reactions leading to redox stress and ultimately cell death. Transition metals are found in all compartments of the cells, but the electron transport chains in the mitochondria and the plastids have an extremely high demand for certain transition metals. Thus, sensing and regulatory mechanisms are essential to maintain the optimum transition metal concentrations in and around cells and their organelles.
The nature of uptake, intracellular transport mechanisms, the distribution of metals in incorporated versus labile pools, the regulation of the homeostasis, and the interactions with essential and non-essential metals remain key questions in algae and land plants. Since land plants are multicellular organisms where the cellular transition metal homeostasis is overlaid with the organism-level regulatory processes, the understanding of cellular metal housekeeping remains a challenge. In this light, transition metal homeostasis of algal cells that lack tissue organisation represents an important keystone in the knowledge of intracellular regulation.
This Research Topic will bring together the latest advances in the cellular transition metal homeostasis in photosynthetic organisms such as land plants and algae. The topic also covers aspects of the interactions of essential transition metals with non-essential elements and stressors that also affect the redox balance in cells in a comprehensive way.
The Research Topic includes contributions of all article types in the aspects of:
• Origins of cellular metal homeostasis in land plants and conservation of functions over deep phylogenetic distances
• Molecular basis of transition metal sensing and distribution
• Regulatory networks that govern intracellular metal homeostasis
• Transition metal homeostasis of the apoplast
• Molecular mechanisms of transmembrane transition metal loading and delivery into cell organelles
• Pathways and mechanisms of transition metal liberation from organelles and cellular metal recycling
• Influence of transition metal homeostasis on developmental and physiological processes, such as autophagy and cell death
• Interactions of essential transitions metals to other elements
• Stress conditions that affect cellular transition metal homeostasis
Multiple transition metals: among others, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Mo are essential constituents of proteins and cofactors in cells of plants and algae but they also have important roles in the apoplast. Under biological conditions, the redox-active nature of essential transition metals, allows them to drive biochemical reactions. Shortage in their uptake and accumulation limits enzyme reactions, while overaccumulation often drives uncontrolled reactions leading to redox stress and ultimately cell death. Transition metals are found in all compartments of the cells, but the electron transport chains in the mitochondria and the plastids have an extremely high demand for certain transition metals. Thus, sensing and regulatory mechanisms are essential to maintain the optimum transition metal concentrations in and around cells and their organelles.
The nature of uptake, intracellular transport mechanisms, the distribution of metals in incorporated versus labile pools, the regulation of the homeostasis, and the interactions with essential and non-essential metals remain key questions in algae and land plants. Since land plants are multicellular organisms where the cellular transition metal homeostasis is overlaid with the organism-level regulatory processes, the understanding of cellular metal housekeeping remains a challenge. In this light, transition metal homeostasis of algal cells that lack tissue organisation represents an important keystone in the knowledge of intracellular regulation.
This Research Topic will bring together the latest advances in the cellular transition metal homeostasis in photosynthetic organisms such as land plants and algae. The topic also covers aspects of the interactions of essential transition metals with non-essential elements and stressors that also affect the redox balance in cells in a comprehensive way.
The Research Topic includes contributions of all article types in the aspects of:
• Origins of cellular metal homeostasis in land plants and conservation of functions over deep phylogenetic distances
• Molecular basis of transition metal sensing and distribution
• Regulatory networks that govern intracellular metal homeostasis
• Transition metal homeostasis of the apoplast
• Molecular mechanisms of transmembrane transition metal loading and delivery into cell organelles
• Pathways and mechanisms of transition metal liberation from organelles and cellular metal recycling
• Influence of transition metal homeostasis on developmental and physiological processes, such as autophagy and cell death
• Interactions of essential transitions metals to other elements
• Stress conditions that affect cellular transition metal homeostasis
