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Sci. Signal., 18 August 2009
Vol. 2, Issue 84, p. ra45
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2000448]

RESEARCH

The Plant NADPH Oxidase RBOHD Mediates Rapid Systemic Signaling in Response to Diverse Stimuli

Gad Miller1, Karen Schlauch1, Rachel Tam1, Diego Cortes2, Miguel A. Torres3*, Vladimir Shulaev2, Jeffery L. Dangl3, and Ron Mittler1,4{dagger}

1 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Mail Stop 200, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
2 Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Washington Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
3 Department of Biology, Curriculum in Genetics, and Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
4 Department of Plant Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.

* Present address: Department of Biotechnology, Madrid Technical University, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n 28040 Madrid, Spain.

Abstract: Cell-to-cell communication and long-distance signaling play a key role in the response of plants to pests, mechanical wounding, and extreme environmental conditions. Here, we report on a rapid systemic signal in Arabidopsis thaliana that traveled at a rate of 8.4 centimeters per minute and was dependent on the respiratory burst oxidase homolog D (RbohD) gene. Signal propagation was accompanied by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the extracellular spaces between cells and was inhibited by the suppression of ROS accumulation at locations distant from the initiation site. The rapid systemic signal was triggered by wounding, heat, cold, high-intensity light, and salinity stresses. Our results reveal the profound role that ROS play in mediating rapid, long-distance, cell-to-cell propagating signals in plants.

{dagger} To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ronm{at}unr.edu

Citation: G. Miller, K. Schlauch, R. Tam, D. Cortes, M. A. Torres, V. Shulaev, J. L. Dangl, R. Mittler, The Plant NADPH Oxidase RBOHD Mediates Rapid Systemic Signaling in Response to Diverse Stimuli. Sci. Signal. 2, ra45 (2009).

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