A review on plant annexins: The calcium binding proteins with multifaceted roles in plant growth, development and stress tolerance.

• Annexins are multigene of calcium dependent phospholipid binding proteins. • Annexins are characterized by unique annexin core domain,made up of four similar motifs approximately 70 amino acids long, each consisting of five α-helices. • Diverse functions including signal transduction, calcium homeostasis, regulation of redox poise, membrane organization and cell cycle control. • Implicated in stress tolerance. Plant annexins are an evolutionary conserved calcium (Ca2+)-dependent and phospholipid-binding protein family that are found in nearly all plant species. They are characterized by presence of a repeated annexin domain and are functionally specialized according to their Ca2+ channel-regulating, peroxidase, ATPase/GTPase, and other activities. They play a significant role in controlling a variety of biochemical and morphological processes, plant growth and development, and response to biotic and abiotic environmental stimuli. Despite the fact that numerous studies have studied the role of annexins, contemporary research on plant annexins has achieved significant strides. In this review, the fundamental characteristics of plant annexins and recent developments in understanding the various functions of annexins in plants are discussed. The role of annexins in biotic and abiotic stress response is also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]