Transcription and RNA splicing factors: The masters and commanders of plant thermotolerance

The ability of plants to tolerate heat stress depends on the activation of the heat stress response, a highly coordinated mechanism that drives extensive changes in gene expression. Heat stress transcription factors (HSFs) serve as the central regulators of this response, playing a crucial role in modulating thermotolerance. I will demonstrate, using tomato as a model system, how different HSFs cooperate to fine-tune the intensity and duration of the response, enabling plants to acclimate to prolonged periods of elevated temperatures. Beyond HSF-dependent transcriptional regulation, RNA splicing emerges as another key mechanism controlling gene expression under heat stress. Our findings indicate that effective thermotolerance requires both the coordinated and independent activities of transcription factors and splicing regulators. This dual-layered regulation optimizes cellular reprogramming, ensuring plant survival under high-temperature conditions.