Yanhua Chen, Beisen Kou, Dongqing Fan, Jiao Zhang, Zhirong Wang, Yuqi He, Kaixuan Zhang, Alisdair R Fernie, Meiliang Zhou
Phase separation, which drives the formation of dynamic and reversible membraneless biomolecular condensates has emerged as a novel molecular strategy for adaptation to environmental stresses. In this review, (i), summarize how this process enables rapid and precise signal integration and regulation, (ii), integrate recent advances in the study of plant biomolecular condensates and (iii), systematically summarize the mechanisms of stress-induced phase separation. We discuss how plants utilize phase separation to orchestrate molecular responses to abiotic stresses, as well as biotic stresses such as pathogen invasion. Furthermore, we provide a focused analysis of the potential roles of endogenous plant molecules in modulating phase separation processes. Finally, we address the key questions and challenges in the field and propose a "plant condensatome" research roadmap integrating multi-omics approaches including genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics to comprehensively map the composition, dynamic properties, and environmental responsiveness of plant condensates. We firmly believe that interdisciplinary integration to deeply resolve the mechanisms of phase separation will provide a new theoretical foundation for understanding plant environmental adaptation strategies and advancing molecular breeding for stress-resistant crops.