γ Aminobutyric Acid (GABA): A Key Player in Alleviating Abiotic Stress Resistance in Horticultural Crops: Current Insights and Future Directions

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid known for its role in the nervous system of animals. However, research has also revealed its presence and function in plants recently. In plants, GABA is a signal molecule involved in multiple physiological processes, including stress response, growth, and development. This review aims to present a thorough summary of the current knowledge regarding the role of GABA in plants. We begin by discussing the biosynthesis and transport of GABA in plants, followed by a detailed examination of its signaling mechanisms. Additionally, we explore GABA's potential roles in various plant physiological processes, such as abiotic stress response, and its potential application in horticultural plants. Finally, we highlight current challenges and future directions for research in this area. Overall, this review offers a comprehensive understanding of the significance of GABA in plants and its potential implications for plant physiology and crop improvement.

[1]  H. Elansary,et al.  Exogenous application of glutathione and gamma amino-butyric acid alleviates salt stress through improvement in antioxidative defense system and modulation of CaXTHs stress-related genes , 2023, South African Journal of Botany.

[2]  S. Malhotra.  Horticultural crops and climate change: A review , 2023, The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences.

[3]  Zhou Li,et al.  Root metabolites remodeling regulated by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) improves adaptability to high temperature in creeping bentgrass , 2023, Plant and Soil.

[4]  L. Xiaoqiang,et al.  Effect of ultrasound combined with exogenous GABA treatment on polyphenolic metabolites and antioxidant activity of mung bean during germination , 2023, Ultrasonics sonochemistry.

[5]  W. Shen,et al.  Application of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) improves fruit quality and rootstock drought tolerance in apple. , 2022, Journal of plant physiology.

[6]  S. Iqbal,et al.  Melatonin in Micro-Tom Tomato: Improved Drought Tolerance via the Regulation of the Photosynthetic Apparatus, Membrane Stability, Osmoprotectants, and Root System , 2022, Life.

[7]  Lihua Li,et al.  Alleviation of drought and salt stress in vegetables: crop responses and mitigation strategies , 2022, Plant Growth Regulation.

[8]  Sajid Ali,et al.  Foliar application of ascorbic acid enhances growth and yield of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) under saline conditions by improving antioxidant defence mechanism. , 2022, Functional plant biology : FPB.

[9]  Yong Nie,et al.  The Bacterial MtrAB Two-Component System Regulates the Cell Wall Homeostasis Responding to Environmental Alkaline Stress , 2022, Microbiology spectrum.

[10]  Xiao Chen,et al.  Exogenous GABA improves the resistance of apple seedlings to long-term drought stress by enhancing GABA shunt and secondary cell wall biosynthesis. , 2022, Tree physiology.

[11]  J. S. Tan,et al.  Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Enrichment in Plant-Based Food – A Mini Review , 2022, Food Reviews International.

[12]  Divya Singh.  Juggling with Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidant Defense System – A coping mechanism under salt stress , 2022, Plant Stress.

[13]  R. Zhou,et al.  Environmental risk of multi-year polythene film mulching and its green solution in arid irrigation region. , 2022, Journal of hazardous materials.

[14]  A. Raza,et al.  Mechanistic Insights Into Trehalose-Mediated Cold Stress Tolerance in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Seedlings , 2022, Frontiers in Plant Science.

[15]  Hairui Wang,et al.  Characterization of GABA-Transaminase Gene from Mulberry (Morus multicaulis) and Its Role in Salt Stress Tolerance , 2022, Genes.

[16]  Y. Qiao,et al.  Exogenous Melatonin Improves Cold Tolerance of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) through Modulation of DREB/CBF-COR Pathway and Antioxidant Defense System , 2022, Horticulturae.

[17]  V. Singh,et al.  GABA Requires Nitric Oxide for Alleviating Arsenate Stress in Tomato and Brinjal Seedlings , 2022, Journal of Plant Growth Regulation.

[18]  C. Jiao.  γ-Aminobutyric acid boosts chilling tolerance by promoting the methionine sulfoxide reductase-thioredoxin reductase system in peach fruit , 2022, Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology.

[19]  S. Iqbal,et al.  Rootstock-Mediated Transcriptional Changes Associated with Cold Tolerance in Prunus mume Leaves , 2021, Horticulturae.

[20]  Yan Peng,et al.  γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Priming Improves Seed Germination and Seedling Stress Tolerance Associated With Enhanced Antioxidant Metabolism, DREB Expression, and Dehydrin Accumulation in White Clover Under Water Stress , 2021, Frontiers in Plant Science.

[21]  Yonghua Zheng,et al.  Mechanisms of chilling tolerance in melatonin treated postharvest fruits and vegetables: a review , 2021, Journal of Future Foods.

[22]  F. Ma,et al.  Activation of the ABA Signal Pathway Mediated by GABA Improves the Drought Resistance of Apple Seedlings , 2021, International journal of molecular sciences.

[23]  Yuan Cheng,et al.  Exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid maintains fruit quality of apples through regulation of ethylene anabolism and polyamine metabolism. , 2021, Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB.

[24]  Sunita A. Ramesh,et al.  Emerging Roles of γ Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Gated Channels in Plant Stress Tolerance , 2021, Plants.

[25]  N. Ghaderi,et al.  Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and salinity impacts antioxidative response and expression of stress-related genes in strawberry cv. Aromas , 2021, Brazilian Journal of Botany.

[26]  Zhou Li,et al.  Photosynthetic maintenance and heat shock protein accumulation relating to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-regulated heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) , 2021 .

[27]  M. Ibrahim,et al.  GABA: A Key Player in Drought Stress Resistance in Plants , 2021, International journal of molecular sciences.

[28]  Jiaxuan Wang,et al.  Nitric oxide mediates γ-aminobutyric acid-enhanced muskmelon tolerance to salinity–alkalinity stress conditions , 2021 .

[29]  Yongqun Zhu,et al.  Diethyl Aminoethyl Hexanoate Priming Ameliorates Seed Germination via Involvement in Hormonal Changes, Osmotic Adjustment, and Dehydrins Accumulation in White Clover Under Drought Stress , 2021, Frontiers in Plant Science.

[30]  M. Saidi,et al.  Pre-harvest spray of GABA and spermine delays postharvest senescence and alleviates chilling injury of gerbera cut flowers during cold storage , 2021, Scientific Reports.

[31]  M. Hasanuzzaman,et al.  GABA shunt: a key-player in mitigation of ROS during stress , 2021, Plant Growth Regulation.

[32]  Manqun Wang,et al.  Heavy Metals and Pesticides Toxicity in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Human Health Implications , 2021, Toxics.

[33]  Gurdeep Singh Malhi,et al.  Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture and Its Mitigation Strategies: A Review , 2021, Sustainability.

[34]  Xujun Zhu,et al.  Effects of GABA on the polyphenol accumulation and antioxidant activities in tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.) under heat-stress conditions. , 2021, Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB.

[35]  Hui Zhang,et al.  The versatile GABA in plants , 2021, Plant signaling & behavior.

[36]  Bingru Huang,et al.  Improved heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass by γ-aminobutyric acid, proline, and inorganic nitrogen associated with differential regulation of amino acid metabolism , 2021, Plant Growth Regulation.

[37]  D. Haltrich,et al.  Glutamate Decarboxylase from Lactic Acid Bacteria—A Key Enzyme in GABA Synthesis , 2020, Microorganisms.

[38]  Khalid Rehman Hakeem,et al.  γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) mitigates drought and heat stress in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) by regulating its physiological, biochemical and molecular pathways. , 2020, Physiologia plantarum.

[39]  A. Pareek,et al.  Membrane dynamics during individual and combined abiotic stresses in plants and tools to study the same. , 2020, Physiologia plantarum.

[40]  P. Gramazio,et al.  Challenges and Prospects of New Plant Breeding Techniques for GABA Improvement in Crops: Tomato as an Example , 2020, Frontiers in Plant Science.

[41]  M. Altaf,et al.  Exogenous melatonin enhances salt stress tolerance in tomato seedlings , 2020 .

[42]  H. Fromm.  GABA Signaling in Plants - Targeting the Missing Pieces of the Puzzle. , 2020, Journal of experimental botany.

[43]  C. Scoffoni,et al.  Combined high leaf hydraulic safety and efficiency provides drought tolerance in Caragana species adapted to low mean annual precipitation , 2020, The New phytologist.

[44]  Hongbo Gao,et al.  Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) alleviates salt damage in tomato by modulating Na+ uptake, the GAD gene, amino acid synthesis and reactive oxygen species metabolism , 2020, BMC plant biology.

[45]  J. Simal-Gándara,et al.  Mitigation of emerging implications of climate change on food production systems , 2020, Food Research International.

[46]  H. Rezadoost,et al.  γ-Aminobutyric acid confers cadmium tolerance in maize plants by concerted regulation of polyamine metabolism and antioxidant defense systems , 2020, Scientific Reports.

[47]  F. Ma,et al.  Exogenous GABA alleviates alkaline stress in Malus hupehensis by regulating the accumulation of organic acids , 2020 .

[48]  Shuxin Zheng,et al.  Gamma-aminobutyric acid enhances tolerance to iron deficiency by stimulating auxin signaling in cucumber (Cucumis sativusL.). , 2020, Ecotoxicology and environmental safety.

[49]  Zhou Li,et al.  Proteomic and metabolomic profilings reveal crucial function of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on regulating ionic, water, and metabolic homeostasis in creeping bentgrass under salt stress. , 2020, Journal of proteome research.

[50]  J. Angayarkanni,et al.  A Brief Review on the Non-protein Amino Acid, Gamma-amino Butyric Acid (GABA): Its Production and Role in Microbes , 2019, Current Microbiology.

[51]  Qian Zhou,et al.  GABA application improves the mitochondrial antioxidant system and reduces peel browning in 'Nanguo' pears after removal from cold storage. , 2019, Food chemistry.

[52]  Zhou Li,et al.  Regulation of Heat Shock Factor Pathways by γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Associated with Thermotolerance of Creeping Bentgrass , 2019, International journal of molecular sciences.

[53]  M. Ansari,et al.  Role of GABA transaminase in the regulation of development and senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana , 2019, Current Plant Biology.

[54]  Zhou Li,et al.  The transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in perennial creeping bentgrass in response to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and heat stress , 2019, Environmental and Experimental Botany.

[55]  Yiting Shi,et al.  Advances and challenges in uncovering cold tolerance regulatory mechanisms in plants. , 2019, The New phytologist.

[56]  M. Reichelt,et al.  Tendril Coiling in Grapevine: Jasmonates and a New Role for GABA? , 2019, Journal of Plant Growth Regulation.

[57]  V. Dutta,et al.  GABA mediated reduction of arsenite toxicity in rice seedling through modulation of fatty acids, stress responsive amino acids and polyamines biosynthesis. , 2019, Ecotoxicology and environmental safety.

[58]  Xiaoqing Jin,et al.  Exogenous GABA enhances muskmelon tolerance to salinity-alkalinity stress by regulating redox balance and chlorophyll biosynthesis , 2019, BMC plant biology.

[59]  Xujun Zhu,et al.  Physiological and iTRAQ-based proteomic analyses reveal the function of exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in improving tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) tolerance at cold temperature , 2019, BMC Plant Biology.

[60]  Xujun Zhu,et al.  Physiological and iTRAQ-based proteomic analyses reveal the function of exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in improving tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) tolerance at cold temperature , 2019, BMC Plant Biology.

[61]  L. Spíchal,et al.  Phytohormones and polyamines regulate plant stress responses by altering GABA pathway. , 2019, New biotechnology.

[62]  F. Martínez,et al.  The effects of GABA in plants , 2019, Cogent Food & Agriculture.

[63]  T. Liu,et al.  GABA Enhances Muskmelon Chloroplast Antioxidants to Defense Salinity-Alkalinity Stress , 2018, Russian Journal of Plant Physiology.

[64]  F. Bernard,et al.  Title: Enhanced salt tolerance and photosynthetic performance: Implication of ɤ-amino butyric acid application in salt-exposed lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plants. , 2018, Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB.

[65]  Yan Peng,et al.  The γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Alleviates Salt Stress Damage during Seeds Germination of White Clover Associated with Na+/K+ Transportation, Dehydrins Accumulation, and Stress-Related Genes Expression in White Clover , 2018, International journal of molecular sciences.

[66]  N. Killiny,et al.  Application of gamma-aminobutyric acid increased the level of phytohormones in Citrus sinensis , 2018, Planta.

[67]  P. Carillo.  GABA Shunt in Durum Wheat , 2018, Front. Plant Sci..

[68]  Sina Siavash Moghaddam,et al.  Exogenous application of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) alleviates the effect of water deficit stress in black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) , 2018 .

[69]  Yan Peng,et al.  Exogenous Application of GABA Improves PEG-Induced Drought Tolerance Positively Associated with GABA-Shunt, Polyamines, and Proline Metabolism in White Clover , 2017, Front. Physiol..

[70]  R. Machado,et al.  Soil Salinity: Effect on Vegetable Crop Growth. Management Practices to Prevent and Mitigate Soil Salinization , 2017 .

[71]  S. Tyerman,et al.  γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) signalling in plants , 2017, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences.

[72]  M. Hossain,et al.  γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) confers chromium stress tolerance in Brassica juncea L. by modulating the antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems , 2017, Ecotoxicology.

[73]  Liang Zhang,et al.  Exogenous γ-Aminobutyric Acid Improves the Structure and Function of Photosystem II in Muskmelon Seedlings Exposed to Salinity-Alkalinity Stress , 2016, PloS one.

[74]  S. Nahar,et al.  Morphophysiological and molecular effects of drought stress in rice , 2016 .

[75]  Bingru Huang,et al.  Chlorophyll loss associated with heat-induced senescence in bentgrass. , 2016, Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology.

[76]  Bingru Huang,et al.  Metabolic pathways regulated by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) contributing to heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) , 2016, Scientific Reports.

[77]  P. Hinrichsen,et al.  Exogenous GABA application transiently improves the tolerance to root hypoxia on a sensitive genotype of Prunus rootstock , 2016 .

[78]  R. Naderi,et al.  Enhancement of postharvest chilling tolerance of anthurium cut flowers by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) treatments , 2016 .

[79]  Samiksha Singh,et al.  Effect of salinity stress on plants and its tolerance strategies: a review , 2015, Environmental Science and Pollution Research.

[80]  Chunyan Wang,et al.  Polyamine biosynthesis and degradation are modulated by exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid in root-zone hypoxia-stressed melon roots. , 2014, Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB.

[81]  H. Nayyar,et al.  γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Imparts Partial Protection from Heat Stress Injury to Rice Seedlings by Improving Leaf Turgor and Upregulating Osmoprotectants and Antioxidants , 2014, Journal of Plant Growth Regulation.

[82]  A. Scimemi.  Plasticity of GABA transporters: an unconventional route to shape inhibitory synaptic transmission , 2014, Front. Cell. Neurosci..

[83]  Xudong Huang,et al.  Effect of exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) treatment on chilling injury and antioxidant capacity in banana peel , 2014 .

[84]  M. Z. Hashmi,et al.  Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution in Agricultural Soils of Siling Reservoir Watershed in Zhejiang Province, China , 2013, BioMed research international.

[85]  B. Shelp,et al.  Hypothesis/review: contribution of putrescine to 4-aminobutyrate (GABA) production in response to abiotic stress. , 2012, Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology.

[86]  D. Shibata,et al.  Metabolic alterations in organic acids and gamma-aminobutyric acid in developing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruits. , 2010, Plant & cell physiology.

[87]  N. Singh,et al.  Nitrate uptake and utilization is modulated by exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. , 2010, Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB.

[88]  M. Todorova,et al.  Asynchronous release of GABA via tonic cannabinoid receptor activation at identified interneuron synapses in rat CA1 , 2010, The European journal of neuroscience.

[89]  Xiaomei Sun,et al.  Effects of exogenous GABA on gene expression of Caragana intermedia roots under NaCl stress: regulatory roles for H2O2 and ethylene production. , 2010, Plant, cell & environment.

[90]  D. Renault,et al.  The Arabidopsis pop2-1 mutant reveals the involvement of GABA transaminase in salt stress tolerance , 2010, BMC Plant Biology.

[91]  M. Bor,et al.  Comparative effects of drought, salt, heavy metal and heat stresses on gamma-aminobutryric acid levels of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) , 2009, Acta Physiologiae Plantarum.

[92]  Andreas J. Meyer,et al.  AtGAT1, a High Affinity Transporter for γ-Aminobutyric Acid in Arabidopsis thaliana* , 2006, Journal of Biological Chemistry.

[93]  P. Stepien,et al.  Antioxidant defense in the leaves of C3 and C4 plants under salinity stress , 2005 .

[94]  A. Ourry,et al.  Putative role of γ ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) as a long‐distance signal in up‐regulation of nitrate uptake in Brassica napus L. , 2004 .

[95]  H. Hirt,et al.  Reactive oxygen species: metabolism, oxidative stress, and signal transduction. , 2004, Annual review of plant biology.

[96]  N. Brecha,et al.  GAT-1, a high-affinity GABA plasma membrane transporter, is localized to neurons and astroglia in the cerebral cortex , 1995, The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience.

[97]  Yunhao Li,et al.  GABA-Mediated Inhibition of Cadmium Uptake and Accumulation in Apples , 2021, SSRN Electronic Journal.

[98]  N. Kav,et al.  Regulation of low temperature stress in plants by microRNAs. , 2018, Plant, cell & environment.

[99]  Bingru Huang,et al.  Metabolic pathways regulated by abscisic acid, salicylic acid and γ-aminobutyric acid in association with improved drought tolerance in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). , 2017, Physiologia plantarum.

[100]  J. T. Puthur,et al.  γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) priming enhances the osmotic stress tolerance in Piper nigrum Linn. plants subjected to PEG-induced stress , 2015, Plant Growth Regulation.

[101]  S. Khalid,et al.  Heavy Metal Stress and Crop Productivity , 2015 .

[102]  Khalid Rehman Hakeem.  Crop Production and Global Environmental Issues , 2015, Springer International Publishing.

[103]  P. Malekzadeh,et al.  Alleviating effects of exogenous Gamma-aminobutiric acid on tomato seedling under chilling stress , 2013, Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants.

[104]  A. Fernie,et al.  Highway or byway: the metabolic role of the GABA shunt in plants. , 2008, Trends in plant science.