Redox homeostasis managers in plants under environmental stresses

The production of cellular oxidants such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an inevitable consequence of redox cascades of aerobic metabolism in plants. This milieu is further aggravated by a myriad of adverse environmental conditions that plants, owing to their sessile life-style, have to cope with during their life cycle. Adverse conditions prevent plants reaching their full genetic potential in terms of growth and productivity mainly as a result of accelerated ROS generation-accrued redox imbalances and halted cellular metabolism. In order to sustain ROS-accrued consequences, plants tend to maintain a fine homeostasis between the generation and antioxidants-mediated metabolisms of ROS and its reaction products. To this end, in addition to their significant roles in the regulation of non-stress-related processes, major redox-related components such as proteinaceous thiol members viz., thioredoxin (Trx), glutaredoxin (Grx) and peroxiredoxin (Prx) proteins, and key soluble redox compounds such as ascorbate (AsA), glutathione (GSH) and the electron carriers and energy metabolism mediators such as non-phosphorylated (NAD+) and the phosphorylated (NADP) coenzyme forms and their redox couples DHA/AsA, GSSG/GSH, NAD+/NADH and NADP+/NADPH interact strongly with and metabolize ROS and its reaction products and manage cellular redox homeostasis. The intracellular concentration of these cellular redox homeostasis managers in plant cells has been credibly reported to fluctuate with the external environments and mediate dynamic signaling in pant stress responses. However, there exists a wide information gap on the critical cross-talks on these aspects in the available literature.

Hence, considering recent breakthroughs, in this Research Topic, we wish (but not limited) to:
(a) Overview major environmental stresses potentially impacting plant life, ROS-accrued consequences and major cellular redox homeostasis managers in plants;
(b) Explore organelle, environmental stress and plant ontogeny specificity of proteinaceous thiol components, soluble redox couples, and electron carriers;
(c) Critically discuss abiotic stress-mediated modulation of proteinaceous thiol components, soluble redox couples, and electron carriers, and the significance of biotic and abiotic stimuli interference;
(d) Cross-talk on the molecular genetic approaches to modulate/improve the levels of proteinaceous thiol components, soluble redox couples, and electron carriers; and
(e) Appraise the aspects so far unexplored in the current context.

Researchers are welcome to kindly contribute to this ‘Research topic’ with their significant contributions (Research Articles/Review Articles/Methods/ Hypothesis & Theory/Opinions) and make our effort a great success.