Redox-dependent control of nuclear transcription in plants

Abstract

Redox-dependent regulatory networks are affected by altered cellular or extracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Perturbations of ROS production and scavenging homeostasis have a considerable impact on the nuclear transcriptome. While the regulatory mechanisms by which ROS modulate gene transcription in prokaryotes, lower eukaryotes, and mammalian cells are well established, new insights into the mechanism underlying redox control of gene expression in plants have only recently been known. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the current knowledge on how ROS and thiol-dependent transcriptional regulatory networks are controlled. We assess the impact of redox perturbations and oxidative stress on transcriptome adjustments using cat2 mutants as a model system and discuss how redox homeostasis can modify the various parts of the transcriptional machinery.