Properties and functions of calcium‐dependent protein kinases and their relatives inArabidopsis thaliana

Summary Calcium is a ubiquitous second messenger that mediates plant responses to developmental and environmental cues. Calcium‐dependent protein kinases ( CDPK s) are key actors of plant signaling that convey calcium signals into physiological responses by phosphorylating various substrates including ion channels, transcription factors and metabolic enzymes. This large diversity of targets confers pivotal roles of CDPK s in shoot and root development, pollen tube growth, stomatal movements, hormonal signaling, transcriptional reprogramming and stress tolerance. On the one hand, specificity in CDPK signaling is achieved by differential calcium sensitivities, expression patterns, subcellular localizations and substrates. On the other hand, CDPK s also target some common substrates to ensure key cellular processes indispensable for plant growth and survival in adverse environmental conditions. In addition, the CDPK ‐related protein kinases ( CRK s) might be closer to some CDPK s than previously anticipated and could contribute to calcium signaling despite their inability to bind calcium. This review highlights the regulatory properties of Arabidopsis CDPK s and CRK s that coordinate their multifaceted functions in development, immunity and abiotic stress responses.