PubMed · 2026-05-13
Scientists discovered that calcium signaling plays distinct, tissue-specific roles in helping eelgrass survive saltwater — roots use it to regulate cell walls and hormones, stems use it for ion transport, and leaves activate backup antioxidant defenses when calcium signals are blocked. A key metabolic pathway involving phenylpropanoid compounds and a crosstalk with nitric oxide were also identified as central to this salt-tolerance system.
Calcium signaling in eelgrass roots regulates cell wall structure and plant hormone pathways to manage osmotic pressure and oxidative stress under high salinity.
In stems, calcium signaling primarily controls ion transport and osmotic regulation, while in leaves it activates antioxidant defenses as a compensatory response when calcium signals are suppressed.
Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis is a key metabolic pathway linking calcium signaling to salt tolerance, and calcium signaling and nitric oxide mutually regulate each other through nitric oxide synthase and calcium sensor protein expression.