Activation and activity of STOP1 in aluminium resistance

Abstract

Identifying direct targets of the transcription factor SENSITIVE TO PROTEIN RHIZOTOXICITY 1 (STOP1) is required for understanding different aluminium (Al)- induced expression patterns of STOP1-regulated genes. In an elegant study, Tokizawa et al. (2021) have now identified or clarified direct and indirect targets of STOP1 and demonstrated that two direct targets, GDH1 and GDH2, are required for Al resistance. They also found that the phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) pathway is involved in the regulation of Al-induced STOP1 protein accumulation. Further development of the Al signalling pathway will help to engineer crop resistance to Al stress.