PNNL

Abstract

Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a common feature of many forms of stress to which plants are exposed. Successful adaptation to changing environmental conditions requires sensitive sensors of ROS such as protein-bound methionines that are converted to their corresponding methionine sulfoxides, which in turn can influence cellular signaling pathways. Such a signaling protein is calmodulin, which represents an early and central point in calcium signaling pathways important to stress response in plants. We describe recent work elucidating fundamental mechanisms of reversible methionine oxidation within calmodulin, including the sensitivity of individual methionines within plant and animal calmodulin to ROS, the structural and functional consequences of their oxidation, and the interactions of oxidized calmodulin with methionine sulfoxide reductase enzymes.