Ca(2+)/Calmodulin Complex Triggers CAMTA Transcriptional Machinery Under Stress in Plants: Signaling Cascade and Molecular Regulation

Calcium (Ca(2+)) ion is a critical ubiquitous intracellular second messenger, acting as a lead currency for several distinct signal transduction pathways. Transient perturbations in free cytosolic Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](cyt)) concentrations are indispensable for the translation of signals into adaptive biological responses. The transient increase in [Ca(2+)](cyt) levels is sensed by an array of Ca(2+) sensor relay proteins such as calmodulin (CaM), eventually leading to conformational changes and activation of CaM. CaM, in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner, regulates several transcription factors (TFs) that are implicated in various molecular, physiological, and biochemical functions in cells. CAMTA (calmodulin-binding transcription activator) is one such member of the Ca(2+)-loaded CaM-dependent family of TFs. The present review focuses on Ca(2+) as a second messenger, its interaction with CaM, and Ca(2+)/CaM-mediated CAMTA transcriptional regulation in plants. The review recapitulates the molecular and physiological functions of CAMTA in model plants and various crops, confirming its probable involvement in stress signaling pathways and overall plant development. Studying Ca(2+)/CaM-mediated CAMTA TF will help in answering key questions concerning signaling cascades and molecular regulation under stress conditions and plant growth, thus improving our knowledge for crop improvement.