Nitric oxide (NO), a gaseous, redox-active small molecule, is gradually becoming established as a central regulator of growth, development, immunity and environmental interactions in plants. A major route for the transfer of NO bioactivity is S-nitrosylation, the covalent attachment of an NO moiety to a protein cysteine thiol to form an S-nitrosothiol (SNO). This chemical transformation is rapidly emerging as a prototypic, redox-based post-translational modification integral to the life of plants. Here we review the myriad roles of NO and SNOs in plant biology and, where known, the molecular mechanisms underpining their activity.
Keywords: S-nitrosylation; abiotic stress; drought stress; hypersensitive response (HR); nitric oxide (NO); plant development; plant disease resistance; root development.
© 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.