Ethylene signaling and response: where different regulatory modules meet

The structural simplicity of the gaseous hormone ethylene stands in contrast with the complexity of the physiological processes ethylene regulates. Initial studies suggested a simple linear arrangement of signaling molecules leading from the ethylene receptors to the EIN3 family of transcription factors. Recent discoveries have substantially changed this view. Current models suggest existence of a complex signaling pathway composed of several phosphorylation cascades, feedback-regulated transcriptional networks, and protein and mRNA turnover regulatory modules. Interactions between ethylene and other signals determine which of the ethylene-mediated responses get activated in a particular cell at a particular time. Tissue-specific regulation of auxin biosynthesis, transport, and response by ethylene is emerging as a key element in this signal integration process.