Molecular Mechanisms of Nitric Oxide (NO) Signaling and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Homeostasis during Abiotic Stresses in Plants

Abstract

Abiotic stressors, such as drought, heavy metals, and high salinity, are causing huge crop losses worldwide. These abiotic stressors are expected to become more extreme, less predictable, and more widespread in the near future. With the rapidly growing human population and changing global climate conditions, it is critical to prevent global crop losses to meet the increasing demand for food and other crop products. The reactive gaseous signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO) is involved in numerous plant developmental processes as well as plant responses to various abiotic stresses through its interactions with various molecules. Together, these interactions lead to the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS), proline and glutathione biosynthesis, post-translational modifications such as S-nitrosylation, and modulation of gene and protein expression. Exogenous application of various NO donors positively mitigates the negative effects of various abiotic stressors. In view of the multidimensional role of this signaling molecule, research over the past decade has investigated its potential in alleviating the deleterious effects of various abiotic stressors, particularly in ROS homeostasis. In this review, we highlight the recent molecular and physiological advances that provide insights into the functional role of NO in mediating various abiotic stress responses in plants.

Oxidative stress in moss Bryum caespiticium (Bryaceae) under the influence of high temperature and light intensity in a technogenically transformed environment

“…It is believed that reactions to stress influences provide a short-term plant protection, and further contribute to the formation of mechanisms of specialized adaptation (Kosakivska et al, 2014(Kosakivska et al, , 2015(Kosakivska et al, , 2017. Lipid peroxida-tion is important for the renewal of biological membranes, rotation of their protein and lipid components, regulation of physical and chemical properties of membranes and subcellular structures (Ayala et al, 2014;Choudhury et al, 2017;Wani et al, 2021). Enhancement of lipid peroxidation processes is a universal mechanism by which the most important homeostatic physicochemical parameters of the cell are controlled, which play a significant role in the survival of organisms under the influence of extreme factors of various origins, including hyperthermia (Richards et al, 2015;Sofo et al, 2015;Ren et al, 2021).…”

“…Superoxide is converted by superoxide dismutase into hydrogen peroxide, which is a component of signal transduction and triggers the peroxidation of biopolymers, oxidizes sulfhydryl groups of enzymes, carries out double-stranded breaks in DNA (Uchida et al, 2002;Smirnoff, 2005). Temperature stress, like other abiotic factors as well, leads to the increase in the level of ROS in cells, such as superoxide anion radical, Н 2 О 2 and hydroxyl radical (Karpets et al, 2015b;Ren et al, 2021;Wani et al, 2021). The leading role among ROS is played by hydrogen peroxide, because the reaction of systems of its formation to the influence of extreme factors is very important for adaptive processes in plants (Kolupaev, 2016;Thakur & Kapila, 2017;Smirnoff & Arnaud, 2019).…”

“…Production of ROS, in particular Н 2 О 2 , under the influence of abiotic stress initiates a cascade of reactions in plants, which helps them to avoid stress (Neill et al, 2002a;Neill et al, 2002b;Karpets et al, 2016;Kolupaev, 2016). Hydrogen peroxide is one of the ROS and being the most stable of them, it plays an important role as a signaling molecule in cellular metabolism (Sung et al, 2003;Wani et al, 2021). Under stress conditions, Н 2 О 2 concentration in plants increased sharply, activating protective systems (Prasad et al, 1994;Dat et al, 2000;Jiang & Zhang, 2002).…”

“…Influence of temperature on the plant organism is one of the powerful abiotic environmental factors (Wadavkar et al, 2017;Zhang et al, 2017). Studies of plant resistance to adverse temperatures, which is the result of physiological and biochemical transformations, are relevant today Song et al, 2020;Wani et al, 2021). Nonspecific protective systems, in particular the antioxidant system, play a significant role in the resistance of plants to the action of stress factors (Oboznyi et al, 2012;Karpets et al, 2016;Kyyak & Baik, 2016).…”

The Caucasian Clover Gene TaMYC2 Responds to Abiotic Stress and Improves Tolerance by Increasing the Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes

“…Abiotic stress affects the metabolic process of plants and limits the growth and development of plants at various stages [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Cold and drought are two common and critical abiotic stresses that can cause membrane damage, peroxidation, and accelerated senescence [ 13 ]. Plants employ complex physiological mechanisms for adapting and resisting abiotic stress [ 14 ].…”