About this Research Topic
The genomics revolution has resulted in the sequencing of a number of angiosperm resurrection plants and a re-appraisal of mechanisms involved in plant desiccation tolerance. The current hypothesis is that desiccation tolerance 're-evolved' or was 're-acquired' genetically in the vegetative tissues of angiosperm resurrection plants from their orthodox seeds. Non-seed plants, such as mosses and lichens, are often desiccation tolerant whereas only certain lineages of angiosperms re-evolved desiccation tolerance from their orthodox seed programming. The acquisition of desiccation tolerance is therefore an area of significant importance in understanding how tolerance was acquired an/or re-merged during evolution. Insights from genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic datasets* from a variety of resurrection plants has highlighted a variety of mechanisms being crucial. However, we are still no closer to a unifying theme and set-of-mechanisms common to all species and lineages.
In this Research Topic, we wish to explore these questions further:
Which physiological and molecular mechanisms are essential to survival of desiccation as typified in resurrection plants and orthodox seeds?
How has desiccation tolerance been re-acquired/re-evolved from spores or seeds into the vegetative tissues of resurrection plants?
Which mechanisms are unique to specific resurrection plant species and lineages?
In light of this, we welcome all types of articles, with particular interest to Original Research, Review and Methods, falling under, but not limited to:
1. Studies addressing physiological and molecular aspects of seeds and resurrection plants during desiccation and recovery therefrom.
2. Evolutionary perspectives and investigations on desiccation tolerance in seeds and resurrection plants.
3. New tools and methods applied to desiccation tolerance studies of seeds and resurrection plants.
*Please note, studies using omics approaches will be considered for review only if they are extended to provide meaningful and functional insights into plant desiccation tolerance in seeds and resurrection plants.
Keywords: Plant Desiccation Tolerance, Resurrection Plants, Evolution, Orthodox Seeds
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
