Redox regulatory mechanisms in cellular stress responses

Background Reactive oxygen species are produced in a highly localized and specific pattern in biological stress responses. The present review examines the redox regulatory aspects of a number of molecular stress response mechanisms in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Scope The present review provides examples representing both the cytoplasmic stress response, often studied as the heat shock response, as well as the stress response of the endoplasmic reticulum, known as the unfolded protein response. The examples have been selected to illustrate the variety of ways that redox signals mediate and affect stress responses. Conclusions Redox regulatory mechanisms are intricately embedded in both the cytoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum stress responses at multiple levels. Many different stimuli, both internal and external, activate endogenous production of reactive oxygen species as a necessary part of the intracellular communication system that activates stress responses.