Source-sink regulation by sugar and stress.

The regulation of carbon partitioning between source and sink tissues in higher plants is not only important for plant growth and development, but insight into the underlying regulatory mechanism is also a prerequisite to modulating assimilate partitioning in transgenic plants. Hexoses, as well as sucrose, have been recognised as important signal molecules in source-sink regulation. Components of the underlying signal transduction pathways have been identified and parallels, as well as distinct differences, to known pathways in yeast and animals have become apparent. There is accumulating evidence for crosstalk, modulation and integration between signalling pathways responding to phytohormones, phosphate, light, sugars, and biotic and abiotic stress-related stimuli. These complex interactions at the signal transduction levels and co-ordinated regulation of gene expression seem to play a central role in source-sink regulation.