Responses of antioxidant enzymes to cold and high light are not correlated to freezing tolerance in natural accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Low temperatures and high light cause imbalances in primary and secondary reactions of photosynthesis, and thus can result in oxidative stress. Plants employ a range of low-molecular weight antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes to prevent oxidative damage, and antioxidant defence is considered an important component of stress tolerance. To figure out whether oxidative stress and antioxidant defence are key factors defining the different cold acclimation capacities of natural accessions of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, we investigated hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) production, antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation during a time course of cold treatment and exposure to high light in four differentially cold-tolerant natural accessions of Arabidopsis (C24, Nd, Rsch, Te) that span the European distribution range of the species. All accessions except Rsch (from Russia) had elevated H2 O2 in the cold, indicating that production of reactive oxygen species is part of the cold response in Arabidopsis. Glutathione reductase activity increased in all but Rsch, while ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were unchanged and catalase decreased in all but Rsch. Under high light, the Scandinavian accession Te had elevated levels of H2 O2 . Te appeared most sensitive to oxidative stress, having higher malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the cold and under high light, while only high light caused elevated MDA in the other accessions. Although the most freezing-tolerant, Te had the highest sensitivity to oxidative stress. No correlation was found between freezing tolerance and activity of antioxidant enzymes in the four accessions investigated, arguing against a key role for antioxidant defence in the differential cold acclimation capacities of Arabidopsis accessions.

Distelbarth H ，Nägele T ，Heyer AG 《-》

Abscisic acid-regulated responses of aba2-1 under osmotic stress: the abscisic acid-inducible antioxidant defence system and reactive oxygen species production.

We investigated the interaction among abscisic acid (ABA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defence system in the transduction of osmotic stress signalling using Arabidopsis thaliana WT (Columbia ecotype, WT) and an ABA-deficient mutant (aba2-1). For this, 50 μm ABA and osmotic stress, induced with 40% (w/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG8000; -0.7 MPa), were applied to WT and aba2-1 for 6, 12 or 24 h. Time course analysis was undertaken for determination of total/isoenzyme activity of the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT; EC 1.11.1.6), ascorbate peroxidase (APX; EC 1.11.1.11), NADPH oxidase (NOX; EC 1.6.3.1) activity; scavenging activity of the hydroxyl radical (OH˙), hydrogen peroxide (H(2) O(2) ); endogenous ABA and malondialdehyde (MDA). The highest H(2) O(2) and MDA content was found in PEG-treated groups of both genotypes, but with more in aba2-1. ABA treatment under stress reduced the accumulation of H(2) O(2) and MDA, while it promoted activity of SOD, CAT and APX. APX activity was higher than CAT activity in ABA-treated WT and aba2-1, indicating a protective role of APX rather than CAT during osmotic stress-induced oxidative damage. Treatment with ABA also significantly induced increased NOX activity. Oxidative damage was lower in ABA-treated seedlings of both genotypes, which was associated with greater activity of SOD (Mn-SOD1 and 2 and Fe-SOD isoenzymes), CAT and APX in these seedlings after 24 h of stress. These results suggest that osmotic stress effects were overcome by ABA treatment because of increased SOD, CAT, APX and NOX.

Ozfidan C ，Turkan I ，Sekmen AH ，Seckin B ... -  《-》

Evaluation of oxidative stress tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings in response to drought.

Chugh V ，Kaur N ，Gupta AK 《INDIAN JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY & BIOPHYSICS》

Early effects of salt stress on the physiological and oxidative status of Cakile maritima (halophyte) and Arabidopsis thaliana (glycophyte).

Early changes in physiological and oxidative status induced by salt stress were monitored in two Brassicaceae plants differing in their tolerance to salinity, Cakile maritima (halophyte) and Arabidopsis thaliana (glycophyte). Growth response and antioxidant defense of C. maritima under 400 mM NaCl were compared with those of A. thaliana exposed to 100 mM NaCl. Salinity induced early growth reduction that is less pronounced in C. maritima than in A. thaliana. Maximum hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) level occurred in the leaves of both species 4 h after the onset of salt treatment. A rapid decline in H₂O₂ concentration was observed thereafter in C. maritima, whereas it remained high in A. thaliana. Correlatively, superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase activities increased at 4 h of treatment in C. maritima and decreased thereafter. However, the activity of these enzymes remained higher in treated plants than that in controls, regardless of the duration of treatment, in A. thaliana. The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) reached maximum values at 24 h of salt stress in both species. Again, MDA levels decreased later in C. maritima, but remained high in A. thaliana. The contents of α-tocopherol remained constant during salt stress in C. maritima and decreased during the first 24 h of salt stress and then remained low in A. thaliana. The results clearly showed that C. maritima, in contrast to A. thaliana, can rapidly evolve physiological and antioxidant mechanisms to adapt to salt and manage the oxidative stress. This may explain, at least partially, the difference in salt tolerance between halophytes and glycophytes.

Ellouzi H ，Hamed KB ，Cela J ，Munné-Bosch S ，Abdelly C ... -  《-》

Exogenous abscisic acid increases antioxidant enzymes and related gene expression in pepper (Capsicum annuum) leaves subjected to chilling stress.

Guo WL ，Chen RG ，Gong ZH ，Yin YX ，Ahmed SS ，He YM ... -  《Genetics and Molecular Research》