G Proteins Go Green: A Plant G Protein Signaling FAQ Sheet.

Cellular signal transduction; Cells; Developmental biology; G proteins; Nucleotides; Plants

Plants, like animals, use signal transduction pathways based on heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (C proteins) to regulate many aspects of development and cell signaling. Some components of G protein signaling are highly conserved between plants and animals and some are not. This Viewpoint compares key aspects of G protein signal transduction in plants and animals and describes the current knowledge of this system in plants, the questions that still await exploration, and the value of research on plant G proteins to scientists who do not study plants. Pathways in Science's Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment Connections Maps database provide details about the emerging roles of G proteins in several cellular processes of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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