Nitrate sensing and signaling in plants

► Nitrate in not only a major nutrient for the plant but also a signal molecule. ► Plants are able to sense nitrate in their environment. ► Nitrate is sensed by transceptors that activate several signaling cascades. ► Nitrate availability modulates expression of up to 10% of the genome. ► Nitrate modulates plant growth and development in a nutrition independent manner. ► Several key molecular actors (transcription factors, kinases) have been identified.