Redox regulation, thioredoxins and glutaredoxins in retrograde signalling and in gene transcription.

Abstract

Integration of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated signal transduction pathways via redox sensors and the thiol-dependent signalling network is of increasing interest in cell biology for their implications in plant growth and productivity. Redox regulation is an important point of control in the protein structure, interactions, cellular location and function, thioredoxins (TRXs) and glutaredoxins (GRXs) being key players in the maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis. The crosstalk between second messengers, ROS, thiol redox signalling and redox homeostasis-related genes, controls almost every aspect of plant development and stress response. We review the emerging roles of TRXs and GRXs in redox-regulated processes interacting with other cell signalling systems such as organellar retrograde communication and gene expression, especially in plants during their development and under stressful environments. This approach will throw light on the specific role of these proteins as redox signalling components, and their importance in different developmental processes during abiotic stress.