Regulation of Plant Metabolism: Signaling Pathways and Feedback Mechanisms

Abstract

This review explores the multifaceted regulatory mechanisms governing plant metabolic processes, focusing on the interplay between signaling pathways and feedback loops. Key signaling pathways, including phytohormones, calcium signaling, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling, play pivotal roles in orchestrating metabolic responses to developmental cues, environmental stimuli, and stress conditions. These pathways modulate the activity of key enzymes and transcription factors involved in metabolic regulation, thereby influencing the synthesis, degradation, and compartmentalization of metabolites. Furthermore, feedback mechanisms exert tight control over metabolic fluxes by sensing endogenous metabolite levels and modulating enzyme activity through allosteric regulation, post-translational modifications, and gene expression regulation. Feedback inhibition and feedforward activation ensure metabolic homeostasis and optimize resource allocation under changing conditions.