GLUTATHIONE HOMEOSTASIS IN PLANTS - IMPLICATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SENSING AND PLANT DEVELOPMENT

Glutathione (GSH; gamma-glutamylcysteinyl glycine) is an abundant and ubiquitous thiol with proposed roles in the storage and transport of r educed sulphur, the synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids and as a m odulator of enzyme activity. The level of glutathione has also been sh own to correlate with the adaptation of plants to extremes of temperat ure, in the tolerance of plants to xenobiotics and to biotic and abiot ic environmental stresses. In addition, the size of the reduced glutat hione pool shows marked alterations in response to a number of environ mental conditions. Taken together, these findings have prompted intens e efforts to characterize in detail the mechanisms underlying glutathi one homeostasis in plants and to elucidate the role of these responses in the strategies plants have evolved to adapt to environmental stres ses,The aim of this review is to assess recent biochemical, molecular, genetic, and physiological advances which are increasing our understa nding of the mechanisms by which plant glutathione homeostasis is cont rolled and the role of glutathione in the integration of cellular proc esses with plant growth and development under stress.