Reactive oxygen species and reactive carbonyl species constitute a feed-forward loop in auxin signaling for lateral root formation.

In auxin-stimulated roots, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the hormone-induced activation of respiratory burst oxidase homologous NADPH oxidases facilitates lateral root (LR) formation. In this study, in order to verify that ROS can modulate auxin signaling, we examined the involvement of the lipid peroxide-derived agents known as reactive carbonyl species (RCS) in LR formation. When auxin was added to Arabidopsis thaliana roots, the levels of RCS, for example acrolein, 4-hydroxynonenal and crotonaldehyde, were increased prior to LR formation.