Trehalose 6-phosphate: A master regulator of plant development

Trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P), a trehalose synthesis intermediate and sugar phosphate, serves as a signaling molecule coordinating sucrose status with plant growth and development. Beyond its metabolic role, the T6P pathway integrates exogenous and other endogenous cues to regulate key developmental transitions, including embryogenesis, seed maturation and filling, shoot branching, vegetative and reproductive phase transitions, and tuber and lateral root formation. Dynamic spatiotemporal expression patterns of T6P-pathway genes correlate with developmental stages, though their specific contributions to the initiation and progression of these transitions remain under investigation. Here, we provide recent insights and future perspectives on the T6P pathway, emphasizing its role in orchestrating diverse plant developmental programs across model and crop species and highlighting emerging mechanistic insights into its functions.