Plant oxidative stress and specialized metabolites: a holistic physicochemical and metabolomics perspective

During the last decades, the study of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has gained significant prominence in plant physiology due to their multifaceted roles in signaling, stress responses, and metabolic processes. ROS are a diverse group of radical and non-radical oxidant molecules exhibiting a wide range of properties and biological functions. This review explores the production and fate of ROS in photosynthetic organisms, their physico-chemical properties, and the role of antioxidants in maintaining redox homeostasis. Additionally, we delve into the impact of metabolomics on oxidative stress research. Metabolomics studies have revealed that oxidative stress deeply affects both primary and, metabolism, leading to an integrated reprogramming of plant cell metabolism. Deciphering plant oxidative stress metabolic signature can aid in designing strategies for stress resilience, with implication for climate adaptation and One Health integration. In the era of omics technologies, future research on oxidative stress should focus on multidisciplinary studies to characterize the complex interplay between ROS and metabolites in plant stress responses.