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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.11.28.691086

The functional divergence of two ethylene receptor subfamilies that exhibit Ca2+-permeable channel activity

Pan, C.·Cheng, J.·Lin, Z.·Hao, D.·Xiao, Z.·Ming, Y.·Song, W.·Liu, L.·Guo, H.
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Abstract

Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone crucial for regulating plant growth, development, and stress adaptation, yet the molecular basis underlying ethylene receptor function remains elusive. Here, we show that subfamily I receptors constitute core ethylene-sensing module and function epistatically to subfamily II receptors. Notably, we discover that only subfamily I receptors possess Ca2+-permeable channel activity, which are indispensable for ethylene-induced cytosolic calcium influx. Overall, this work supports a mechanistic framework in which subfamily I receptors integrate ethylene sensing with Ca2+ influx, providing new insight into how plants translate hormonal cues into downstream signaling events.

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Pan, C., Cheng, J., Lin, Z., Hao, D., Xiao, Z., Ming, Y., Song, W., Liu, L., Guo, H.. 2025-11-29. The functional divergence of two ethylene receptor subfamilies that exhibit Ca2+-permeable channel activity. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.11.28.691086

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