The effects of oxidative stress on plant cell cycle progression were studie
d both in cell suspensions and in planta. Oxidative stress of variable seve
rity was imposed by the addition of different concentrations of the methyl-
quinone, menadione, into the growth media. In cell suspensions, flow cytome
try analyses demonstrated that low concentrations (20-50 mu M) of menadione
impaired the G1/S transition, slowed DNA replication, and delayed the entr
y into mitosis. Furthermore, cells in G1 were more sensitive to menadione-m
ediated oxidative stress than cells in S phase. Cell cycle arrest was assoc
iated with an inhibition of the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases, cell
cycle gene expression, and a concomitant activation of stress genes. Menadi
one-mediated oxidative stress was shown to have very similar effects on tob
acco plants, suggesting that a general regulation mechanism takes place in
plants. These results define an oxidative stress checkpoint pathway that mo
dulates both the expression of the core cell cycle genes and oxidative defe
nce genes. Redox sensing could be of key importance in controlling cell cyc
le progression in environmental stress conditions.