Regulation of the Arabidopsis Transcriptome by Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress, resulting from an imbalance in the accumulation and removal of reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is a challenge faced by all aerobic organisms. In plants, exposure to various abiotic and biotic stresses results in accumulation of H2O2 and oxidative stress. Increasing evidence indicates that H2O2 functions as a stress signal in plants, mediating adaptive responses to various stresses. To analyze cellular responses to H2O2, we have undertaken a large-scale analysis of the Arabidopsis transcriptome during oxidative stress. Using cDNA microarray technology, we identified 175 non-redundant expressed sequence tags that are regulated by H2O2. Of these, 113 are induced and 62 are repressed by H2O2. A substantial proportion of these expressed sequence tags have predicted functions in cell rescue and defense processes. RNA-blot analyses of selected genes were used to verify the microarray data and extend them to demonstrate that other stresses such as wilting, UV irradiation, and elicitor challenge also induce the expression of many of these genes, both independently of, and, in some cases, via H2O2.