Plant cell wall remodeling and peptide signaling under abiotic and biotic stress

Abstract

Plants are continuously exposed to abiotic and biotic stresses, often in combination, necessitating tightly coordinated metabolic and structural adaptations. A central component of these responses is the plant cell wall, a dynamic extracellular matrix that undergoes extensive remodeling to maintain integrity under stress conditions. Both abiotic and biotic cues trigger modifications in cell wall composition and architecture, which in turn shape signaling pathways and defense mechanisms. Although hormonal signaling has long been recognized as a key driver of stress adaptation, accumulating evidence points to a crucial role for small signaling peptides (SSPs) in modulating stress responses. Typically, fewer than 100 amino acids in length, SSPs function through diverse mechanisms, including transcriptional regulation and direct interactions with cell wall components. In this review, we examine the interplay between environmental stress, cell wall remodeling, and SSP-mediated signaling. We provide an overview of stress-specific cell wall modifications and outline how SSPs participate in these responses. Through exploratory analyses of published transcriptomic datasets, we illustrate how SSP precursor expression patterns may indicate potential roles in cell wall-mediated stress adaptation. Together, we conclude that SSP signaling constitutes an integral component of plant responses to abiotic and biotic stress and highlight key directions for future functional studies aimed at elucidating the roles of SSPs in cell wall remodeling.