Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidant Responses in Symbiotic Systems: Signaling, Stress Tolerance, and Rhizosphere Resilience

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a dual role in biological systems, serving as both toxic byproducts of metabolism and essential signaling molecules. In the context of symbiotic interactions, ranging from mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia to endophytes and lichens, the precise regulation of ROS and antioxidant networks is fundamental. These redox processes govern the delicate balance between mutualistic symbiosis and defense responses, influencing the establishment, maintenance, and functionality of symbiotic partnerships.Symbiotic organisms are constantly exposed to fluctuating environmental conditions that can disrupt redox homeostasis. Both the host and its microbial partners have evolved complex enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms to scavenge excess ROS and utilize oxidative bursts as signals for developmental coordination. However, under environmental stress, this equilibrium is often challenged, leading to physiological alterations that can compromise symbiotic efficiency or trigger the breakdown of the relationship.Despite growing evidence linking redox status to symbiotic performance, key knowledge gaps remain in understanding how ROS dynamics are controlled at the symbiotic interface, particularly under complex environmental stressors. Integrated studies combining plant physiology, redox biology, and molecular omics are urgently needed to elucidate how oxidative signaling and antioxidant defenses determine the resilience of symbiotic systems in a changing world. This Research Topic aims to provide a platform to advance understanding of how ROS and antioxidant responses regulate symbiotic interactions, and how these redox processes influence adaptation to environmental challenges, including soil pollution and abiotic stress.To gather further insights in ROS regulation and antioxidant dynamics within symbiotic interactions, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• ROS regulation in mycorrhizal symbiosis and its involvement in alleviating pollutant stress and enhancing phytoremediation• Antioxidant defense systems and enzymatic mechanisms that safeguard redox homeostasis at the symbiotic interface• Molecular, metabolic, and omics-based insights into adaptation strategies of hosts and microbes facing oxidative stress• The influence of abiotic stressors (e.g., drought, salinity, extreme temperatures) on the redox balance and ecosystem impacts of symbiotic systems• Mechanistic and field studies on how redox regulation affects nutrient exchange, mutualistic stability, and the breakdown or resilience of symbioses Topic editors: Bo Hu, Fábio Silva, Shanshan Hu Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78065/reactive-oxygen-species-and-antioxidant-responses-in-symbiotic-systems-signaling-stress-tolerance-and-rhizosphere-resilience