title: Expression and signal regulation of the alternative oxidase genes under abiotic stresses.
abstract: Plants in their natural environment frequently face various abiotic stresses, such as drought, high salinity, and chilling. Plant mitochondria contain an alternative oxidase (AOX), which is encoded by a small family of nuclear genes. AOX genes have been shown to be highly responsive to abiotic stresses. Using transgenic plants with varying levels of AOX expression, it has been confirmed that AOX genes are important for abiotic stress tolerance. Although the roles of AOX under abiotic stresses have been extensively studied and there are several excellent reviews on this topic, the differential expression patterns of the AOX gene family members and the signal regulation of AOX gene(s) under abiotic stresses have not been extensively summarized. Here, we review and discuss the current progress of these two important issues.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
authors.forename: Hanqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Dongdong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yifeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tengguo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Rongfang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics; D003080:Cold Temperature; D055864:Droughts; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D054712:Salinity; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*; D000099188:Alternative Oxidase
chemical_list: D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D010940:Plant Proteins; D000099188:Alternative Oxidase
keywords: abiotic stresses; alternative oxidase; mitochondria; respi-ration