Exploring the frontier of plant phase separation: Current insights and future prospects

Abstract

In the rapidly evolving field of biology, phase separation has recently emerged as a revolutionary perspective, shedding new light on our comprehension of cellular processes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge regarding phase separation in plants and charts promising avenues for future exploration. We delve into the fundamental principles of plant phase separation, highlighting the roles played by intrinsically disordered regions and prion-like domains. Summarizing significant advancements, we explore the involvement of phase separation in plant responses to environmental cues, as well as its involvement in growth and developmental processes, and plant-microbe interactions. Additionally, we present a streamlined workflow designed to guide the scientific community in conducting phase separation studies in plants. Lastly, we delineate lingering questions and propose potential applications of phase separation in agriculture.