The ORFans' tale: new insights in plant biology

Abstract

Orphan genes (OGs) are protein-coding genes without a significant sequence similarity in closely related species. Despite their functional importance, very little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms by which OGs participate in diverse biological processes. Here, we discuss the evolutionary mechanisms of OGs' emergence with relevance to species-specific adaptations. We also provide a mechanistic view of the involvement of OGs in multiple processes, including growth, development, reproduction, and carbon-metabolism-mediated immunity. We highlight the interconnection between OGs and the sucrose nonfermenting 1 (SNF1)-related protein kinases (SnRKs)-target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling axis for phytohormone signaling, nutrient metabolism, and stress responses. Finally, we propose a high-throughput pipeline for OGs' interspecies and intraspecies gene transfer through a transgenic approach for future biotechnological advances.

Keywords: Orphan Genes; SnRK–TOR axis; cross-species transfer; functional analysis; immunomodulation; molecular/mechanistic events; stress biology.