Transcription Factors as Zinc Sensors in Plants

Zinc (Zn) is an essential nutrient; however, understanding the sensing of cellular Zn status in plants has remained elusive. Recently, Lilay et al. identified a nuclear Zn-sensing mechanism where the conserved zinc sensor motif of Basic Leucine Zipper 19 (bZIP19) and bZIP23 transcription factors (TFs) bind to Zn2+ and coordinate their activity according to Zn availability. Zinc (Zn) is an essential nutrient; however, understanding the sensing of cellular Zn status in plants has remained elusive. Recently, Lilay et al. identified a nuclear Zn-sensing mechanism where the conserved zinc sensor motif of Basic Leucine Zipper 19 (bZIP19) and bZIP23 transcription factors (TFs) bind to Zn2+ and coordinate their activity according to Zn availability.