Plant thioredoxins are key actors in the oxidative stress response

Thioredoxins are ubiquitous disulfide reductases that regulate the redox status of target proteins. Although plant thioredoxins display a striking diversity not found in other organisms, many of their physiological roles have yet to be determined. Based on recent publications investigating thioredoxin targets and genetically modified plants, thioredoxins appear to play a fundamental role in plant tolerance of oxidative stress. They are involved in oxidative damage avoidance by supplying reducing power to reductases detoxifying lipid hydroperoxides or repairing oxidized proteins. Furthermore, other lines of evidence indicate that thioredoxins could act as regulators of scavenging mechanisms and as components of signalling pathways in the plant antioxidant network.