Recent Development on Plant Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Enzymes and Their Functions in Plant Development and Stress Signaling

Abiotic and biotic stresses induce the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which subsequently causes the excessive accumulation of aldehydes in cells. Stress-derived aldehydes are commonly designated as reactive electrophile species (RES) as a result of the presence of an electrophilic alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl group. Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) are NAD(P)(+)-dependent enzymes that metabolize a wide range of endogenous and exogenous aliphatic and aromatic aldehyde molecules by oxidizing them to their corresponding carboxylic acids. The ALDH enzymes are found in nearly all organisms, and plants contain fourteen ALDH protein families. In this review, we performed a critical analysis of the research reports over the last decade on plant ALDHs. Newly discovered roles for these enzymes in metabolism, signaling and development have been highlighted and discussed. We concluded with suggestions for future investigations to exploit the potential of these enzymes in biotechnology and to improve our current knowledge about these enzymes in gene signaling and plant development.

Automated summary

ALDH enzymes in plants play crucial roles in metabolism, signaling, and development by metabolizing various aldehyde molecules. Recent research has shed light on new roles of these enzymes, prompting further exploration of their potential in biotechnology. Future investigations should focus on uncovering more about these enzymes to enhance our understanding of gene signaling and plant development.