# Molecular insights into volatile organic compound sensing and signaling in plants

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how plants sense and respond to volatile organic compounds, focusing on the molecular mechanisms and receptors involved.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of current knowledge on plant VOC perception and highlights key knowledge gaps.

## Key findings

- Only a few phylogenetically distinct VOC receptors have been identified in plants.
- KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE 2 (KAI2)-mediated signaling is highlighted as a potential mechanism for VOC perception.
- Current understanding of VOC perception lacks clarity on how diverse VOC signals are translated into physiological responses.

## Abstract

Plants interact with their surrounding environment through the perception of a vast and structurally diverse array of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); however, the molecular mechanisms involved remain mostly unknown. Despite the large number of VOCs emitted and perceived by plants, only a small number of phylogenetically distinct, but often structurally similar receptors and receptor‐like proteins have been identified and characterized to date. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on plant VOC perception, with an emphasis on the receptors involved, including their structural characteristics and ligand specificities, as well as how distinct VOC signals can be translated into different downstream physiological responses. We further highlight the involvement of KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE 2 (KAI2)‐mediated signaling in the perception of volatile compounds and their derivatives, discussing its potential role in expanding the repertoire of plant VOC perception mechanisms.

Plants interpret important environmental cues through their perception of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), yet the molecular mechanisms enabling this process remain poorly understood. This review provides current insights into receptor structure, ligand specificity, and downstream signaling, while highlighting major knowledge gaps in our understanding of how plants detect and respond to diverse VOC signals.