Calmodulin-binding transcription activator (CAMTA)/ factors in plants

Plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to perceive and respond to environmental signal stimuli and coordinate growth and development accordingly. As a ubiquitous second messenger, Ca2+ (calcium ion) participates widely in the responses to stress and the regulation of growth and development in plants. As one of the target proteins of CaM, CAMTA (calmodulin-binding transcription activator) is a type of transcription factor with a CaM binding site, also known as SR (signal responsive), CAMTA is highly conserved throughout evolution and plays important roles in many aspects of plant life, including growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this chapter, we summarize the structural characteristics of CAMTAs, as well as the functional significance in plant growth and development, defenses against biotic stress, and tolerance to abiotic stresses including cold, salt, drought, and metal stress. Future research on CAMTA is also prospected based on our understanding.