H+-ATPases in Plant Growth and Stress Responses

H+-ATPases, including the phosphorylated intermediate-type (P-type) and vacuolar-type (V-type) H+-ATPases, are important ATP-driven proton pumps that generate membrane potential and provide proton motive force for secondary active transport. P- and V-type H+-ATPases have distinct structures and subcellular localizations and play various roles in growth and stress responses. A P-type H+-ATPase is mainly regulated at the posttranslational level by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of residues in its autoinhibitory C terminus. The expression and activity of both P- and V-type H+-ATPases are highly regulated by hormones and environmental cues. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in understanding of the evolution, regulation, and physiological roles of P- and V-type H+-ATPases, which coordinate and are involved in plant growth and stress adaptation. Understanding the different roles and the regulatory mechanisms of P- and V-type H+-ATPases provides a new perspective for improving plant growth and stress tolerance by modulating the activity of H+-ATPases, which will mitigate the increasing environmental stress conditions associated with ongoing global climate change.