title: Plant glutathione transferase-mediated stress tolerance: functions and biotechnological applications.
abstract: Plant glutathione transferases (EC 2.5.1.18, GSTs) are an ancient, multimember and diverse enzyme class. Plant GSTs have diverse roles in plant development, endogenous metabolism, stress tolerance, and xenobiotic detoxification. Their study embodies both fundamental aspects and agricultural interest, because of their ability to confer tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses and to detoxify herbicides. Here we review the biotechnological applications of GSTs towards developing plants that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. We integrate recent discoveries, highlight, and critically discuss the underlying biochemical and molecular pathways involved. We elaborate that the functions of GSTs in abiotic and biotic stress adaptation are potentially a result of both catalytic and non-catalytic functions. These include conjugation of reactive electrophile species with glutathione and the modulation of cellular redox status, biosynthesis, binding, and transport of secondary metabolites and hormones. Their major universal functions under stress underline the potential in developing climate-resilient cultivars through a combination of molecular and conventional breeding programs. We propose that future GST engineering efforts through rational and combinatorial approaches, would lead to the design of improved isoenzymes with purpose-designed catalytic activities and novel functional properties. Concurrent GST-GSH metabolic engineering can incrementally increase the effectiveness of GST biotechnological deployment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, School of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 261, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece. nianiou@agro.auth.gr.
authors.forename: Irini
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nianiou-Obeidat
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Biosciences, CERTH, 6th km Charilaou-Thermis Road, Thermi, P.O. Box 361, 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Madesis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, School of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 261, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.|Wageningen UR Plant Breeding, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kissoudis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, School of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 261, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Voulgari
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, 11855, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chronopoulou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, School of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 261, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.|Institute of Applied Biosciences, CERTH, 6th km Charilaou-Thermis Road, Thermi, P.O. Box 361, 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsaftaris
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, 11855, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Labrou
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D005982:Glutathione Transferase
keywords: Enzyme engineering; Glutathione peroxidase; Pathogen resistance; Phytoremediation; Plant hormones; Secondary metabolism