We have described the mechanism by which the protein CIPK23 preserve cell ion requirements in plants under stress conditions

Environmental damage, together with climate change, are driving the water-related crises we see around the world. Stress situations such as drought or the concomitant soil salinity affect crop productivity as they unbalance intracellular ion composition in plants. In these situations, and spontaneously, plants attempt to readjust ion homeostasis for normal growth. We have described the mechanism by which the regulatory protein kinase CIPK23 is specifically assembled to the AKT1 K+ channel to restore cell ion requirements. This information is central to produce novel crop varieties with improved performance in changing environment. Recognition and activation of the plant AKT1 potassium channel by the kinase CIPK23 Maria Jose Sanchez-Barrena, Antonio Chaves-Sanjuan, Natalia Raddatz, Imelda Mendoza, Alvaro Cortes, Federico Gago, Juana Maria Gonzalez-Rubio, Juan Luis Benavente, Francisco J. Quintero, Jose M. Pardo, Armando Albert http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/early/2020/02/03/pp.19.01084