MSRB7 reverses oxidation of GSTF2/3 to confer tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana to oxidative stress

Methionine sulfoxide reductases (MSRs) catalyse the reduction of oxidized methionine residues, thereby protecting proteins against oxidative stress. Accordingly, MSRs have been associated with stress responses, disease, and senescence in a taxonomically diverse array of organisms. However, the cytosolic substrates of MSRs in plants remain largely unknown. Here, we used a proteomic analysis strategy to identify MSRB7 substrates. We showed that two glutathione transferases (GSTs), GSTF2 and GSTF3, had fewer oxidized methionine (MetO) residues in MSRB7-overexpressing Arabidopsis thaliana plants than in wild-type plants. Conversely, GSTF2 and GSTF3 were highly oxidized and unstable in MSRB7-knockdown plants. MSRB7 was able to restore the MetO-GSTF2(M100/104) and MetO-GSTF3(M100) residues produced during oxidative stress. Furthermore, both GSTs were specifically induced by the oxidative stress inducer, methyl viologen. Our results indicate that specific GSTs are substrates of MSRs, which together provide a major line of defence against oxidative stress in A. thaliana.