Catalase Function in Plant Stress Responses

Catalase is a ubiquitous antioxidant enzyme that catalyses the dismutation of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, thereby safeguarding plant cells from oxidative damage. Localised predominantly in peroxisomes but also found in the cytosol and, under certain conditions, in the nucleus, catalase constitutes a first line of defence against reactive oxygen species generated during both normal metabolism and environmental stress. Under drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, heavy‐metal exposure or pathogen attack, cellular production of reactive oxygen species escalates, and catalase activity modulates not only detoxification but also redox signalling cascades that influence gene expression, hormone responses and programmed cell death. The multigene families encoding catalase in higher plants give rise to isoforms with distinct expression patterns, subcellular targeting and regulatory motifs. Post‐translational modifications further refine enzyme activity, stability and compartmentation, enabling rapid adjustment to fluctuating oxidative conditions. Insights into catalase‐mediated stress resilience have underscored its value in crop improvement and sustainable agriculture, where manipulation of enzyme levels or interaction partners can bolster yield stability under adverse environments.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies in cereal crops have revealed that natural allelic variation can fine‐tune catalase activity and enhance drought tolerance without yield penalty. In wheat, a full‐length allele of a regulatory WD40 protein was shown to bind canonical catalases, promote their oligomerisation and elevate enzymatic activity, thereby reducing hydrogen peroxide accumulation under water deficit. Plants carrying this favourable allele maintained higher biomass and grain yield in drought environments, and its frequency in germplasm correlated inversely with regional rainfall, highlighting its selection during breeding for arid climates. This work demonstrates how modulation of catalase assembly, rather than mere overexpression, can yield targeted improvements in stress resilience.

Catalase Function in Plant Stress Responses publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in catalase function in plant stress responses across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive molecules derived from oxygen, including hydrogen peroxide, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, which can damage cellular components or act as signalling mediators.

Peroxisome: A membrane‐bound organelle in plant cells where hydrogen peroxide is both generated (via oxidases) and degraded (via catalase).

Post‐translational modification (PTM): A covalent alteration of a protein after synthesis, such as phosphorylation, S‐nitrosation or persulfidation, which can regulate enzyme activity, stability or localisation.

Oligomerisation: The assembly of enzyme subunits into multimeric complexes, often essential for full catalytic activity or stability under stress conditions.

References

1. Allelic variation of TaWD40-4B.1 contributes to drought tolerance by modulating catalase activity in wheat. Nature Communications (2023).
2. Catalase: A critical node in the regulation of cell fate. Free Radical Biology and Medicine (2023).
3. Genome-Wide Identification of Catalase Gene Family and the Function of SmCAT4 in Eggplant Response to Salt Stress. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
4. A novel Pinellia ternata catalase gene PtCAT2 regulates drought tolerance in Arabidopsis by modulating ROS balance. Frontiers in Plant Science (2023).
5. Plant catalases as NO and H2S targets. Redox Biology (2020).