Peroxidase Function and Regulation in Plant Stress Responses

Peroxidases comprise a broad family of haem-containing enzymes that mediate the reduction of hydrogen peroxide and the oxidation of diverse substrates, thereby modulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, cell wall architecture and signal transduction under environmental challenge. In plants, class III peroxidases often accumulate in cell walls and vacuoles, where they participate in lignification, suberisation and cross-linking of cell wall components to reinforce tissues against drought, salinity, pathogen invasion and mechanical injury. Beyond structural roles, peroxidases regulate hormone signalling pathways, notably those governed by abscisic acid, salicylic acid and jasmonates, by modulating local H₂O₂ concentrations that serve as secondary messengers. Gene family expansion through tandem and segmental duplication has yielded a multiplicity of isoforms with distinct expression patterns, subcellular localisations and substrate specificities. Transcriptional control of peroxidase genes is exerted by stress-responsive transcription factors, while post-translational modifications such as nitration, glycosylation or proteolytic processing fine-tune enzyme activity. Coordination between peroxidase activity and antioxidant systems—superoxide dismutases, catalases and glutathione peroxidases—ensures balanced ROS signalling without undue oxidative damage. The integration of high-throughput transcriptomics, proteomics and biochemical assays has begun to unravel the complex networks that govern peroxidase deployment in response to abiotic and biotic stress. Advances in genetic engineering and marker-assisted breeding exploit peroxidase regulators to enhance crop resilience, demonstrating global significance for food security and sustainable agriculture.

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Peroxidase Function and Regulation in Plant Stress Responses publication trend

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

Technical terms

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive derivatives of oxygen that act as both signalling molecules and potential agents of oxidative damage.

Class III peroxidase: A group of plant-specific haem enzymes that use hydrogen peroxide to oxidise phenolic and other substrates within the secretory pathway.

Isozyme: Enzyme variant encoded by different genes or alleles but catalysing the same reaction under differing regulatory controls.

Transcriptomics: The comprehensive study of RNA transcripts to assess gene expression dynamics across conditions.

Abiotic stress: Non-living environmental factors such as drought, salinity, temperature extremes and heavy metals that challenge plant growth.

Nitric oxide (NO): A diffusible gaseous molecule that modulates protein function through nitration and participates in stress signalling.

References

1. Genome-wide analysis of the class III peroxidase gene family in sesame and SiPRXs gene validation by expression analysis under drought stress. Plant Stress (2024).
2. Class III Peroxidases (POD) in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.): Genome-Wide Identification and Regulation during Nitric Oxide (NO)-Influenced Fruit Ripening. Antioxidants (2023).
3. Overexpression of Peroxidase Gene GsPRX9 Confers Salt Tolerance in Soybean. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2019).
4. Explosive Tandem and Segmental Duplications of Multigenic Families in Eucalyptus grandis. Genome Biology and Evolution (2015).