Hydrogen peroxide–induced gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is generated in plants after exposure to a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses, and has been shown to induce a number of cellular responses. Previously, we showed that H2O2 generated during plant-elicitor interactions acts as a signaling molecule to induce the expression of defense genes and initiate programmed cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cultures. Here, we report for the first time the identification by RNA differential display of four genes whose expression is induced by H2O2. These include genes that have sequence homology to previously identified Arabidopsis genes encoding a late embryogenesis-abundant protein, a DNA-damage repair protein, and a serine/threonine kinase. Their putative roles in H2O2-induced defense responses are discussed.