Aquaporins: a vital nexus in H₂O₂-gasotransmitter signaling

Land plants have evolved with a complex mechanism of water uptake facilitated by the activity of aquaporins under normal and challenging environments. However, we lack a clear understanding of its interactions with reactive oxygen species, particularly hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and the gasotransmitters nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), under oxidative stress. Here, we assess the crosstalk of aquaporin function, H₂O₂ homeostasis, and NO-H₂S signaling in plants and provide a computational prediction of cysteine-based oxidative post-translational modifications (oxiPTMs) in plant aquaporins. We propose that aquaporin activity could be regulated by three major oxiPTMs, S-nitrosation, S-sulfenylation, and persulfidation, mediated by NO, H₂O₂, and H₂S, respectively. Therefore, aquaporins might be key players in the gasotransmitter-mediated long-distance oxidative stress signals in plant cells.