The Gene Expression Is Mediated by Diverse Signals that Link Biotic and Abiotic Stress Factors with ROS and Can Be a Useful Molecular Marker for Oxidative Stress.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly controlled signaling species that are involved in regulating gene expression in response to different environmental cues. The production of heat shock proteins (HSPs) is a key strategy that plants use to defend themselves against diverse stresses, including oxidative stress. In this study, expression patterns of the Arabidopsis gene, a cytosolic class I small HSP, were systematically profiled under different abiotic, biotic and oxidative stresses. Our data show that was early and highly induced by heat, cold, salt, drought and high-light. also showed high expression levels in Arabidopsis plants infected with the biotrophic pathogen , but not in response to the necrotrophic pathogens and . Oxidative stress treatments including HO and the herbicide methyl viologen led to induction of . The plant hormones abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA) induced the expression of , whereas methyl jasmonate (MJ) did not affect the expression level of this gene. Furthermore, we found enhanced expression of in catalase mutant plants, which are deficient in catalase 2 activity and accumulate intracellular HO. Taken together, data presented here suggest that expression is regulated by various signals that connect biotic and abiotic stresses with ROS and can be used as a molecular marker for oxidative stress.