| Calcium (Ca2+) is a key second messenger in eukaryotic organisms where it regulates a diverse array of cellular processes in response to external stimuli. An important intracellular Ca2+ sensor responsible for the control of Ca2+-dependent cellular events in both plants and animals is calmodulin (CaM). In addition to conserved CaM, plants possess a unique family of CaM-like (CML) proteins that are proposed to mediate Ca2+ signal transduction pathways during both biotic and abiotic stress. The majority of these CMLs have not yet been studied, and investigation into their physical properties and cellular functions will provide a new perspective to Ca2+ signal transduction in plants. In this study, the biophysical and physiological properties of two highly similar CML proteins in Arabidopsis, CML42 and CML43, were characterized. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
