Appraisal of H2S metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana: In silico analysis at the subcellular level

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has become a new signal molecule in higher plants which seems to be involved in almost all physiological processes from seed germination, root and plant growth until flowering and fruit ripening. Moreover, H2S also participates in the mechanism of response against adverse environmental stresses. However, its basic biochemistry in plant cells can be considered in a nascent stage. Using the available information of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the goal of the present study is to provide a broad overview of H2S metabolism and to display an in silico analysis of the 26 enzymatic components involved in the metabolism of H2S and their subcellular compartmentation (cytosol, chloroplast and mitochondrion) thus providing a wide picture of the cross-talk inside the organelles and amongst them and, consequently, to get a better understanding of the cellular and tissue implications of H2S. This information will be also relevant for other crop species, especially those whose whole genome is not yet available.