Vascular Bundles Mediate Systemic Reactive Oxygen Signaling during Light Stress

Systemic signaling and systemic acquired acclimation (SAA) are essential for plant survival during episodes of environmental stress. Recent studies highlighted a key role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling in mediating systemic responses and SAA during light stress in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). These studies further identified the RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG D (RBOHD) protein as a key player in mediating rapid systemic ROS responses. Here, we report that tissue-specific expression of RBOHD in phloem or xylem parenchyma cells of the rbohD mutant restores systemic ROS signaling, systemic stress-response transcript expression, and SAA to a local treatment of light stress. We further demonstrate that RBOHD and RBOHF are both required for local and systemic ROS signaling at the vascular bundles of Arabidopsis. Taken together, our findings highlight a key role for RBOHD-driven ROS production at the vascular bundles of Arabidopsis in mediating light stress-induced systemic signaling and SAA. In addition, they suggest that the integration of ROS, calcium, electric, and hydraulic signals, during systemic signaling, occurs at the vascular bundles.