Autophagy, ROS, and their interplay in plant adaptive responses

In ever-changing natural environments, plants have evolved precise and intricate regulatory networks to combat energy deprivation. Under limited energy supply, plants use autophagy to recycle cellular components and sustain vital processes. Autophagy represents an evolutionarily conserved mechanism operating at the subcellular level in eukaryotes. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), traditionally viewed as metabolic byproducts, exert concentration-dependent effects in plants: lower ROS in a controllable concentration range serve as signaling molecules modulating various aspects of plant growth, development and stress responses, whereas over-accumulating ROS induce oxidative damages, threatening plant growth and survival. Although the classification, metabolic dynamics, and multifaceted roles of ROS in plants have been extensively studied, the reciprocal regulatory interplay between ROS signaling and autophagy remains inadequately explored, particularly in plants. This review summarizes recent progress of plant ROS, autophagy, and their interplay, and also provides predictions and perspectives on the potential regulatory mechanisms between ROS and autophagy.