Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were originally thought to only be released by phagocytic cells during their role in host defence. It is now clear that ROS have a cell signalling role in many biological systems, both in animals and in plants. ROS induce programmed cell death or necrosis, induce or suppress the expression of many genes, and activate cell signalling cascades, such as those involving mitogen-activated protein kinases.

Keywords:
gene expression, hydrogen peroxide, MAP kinases, NADPH oxidase, signal transduction, MAP kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, NF-κB, nuclear factor-κB, NOH, NADPH oxidase homologue, ROS, reactive oxygen species, SOD, superoxide dismutase
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© 2001 Biochemical Society
2001
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