氧化胁迫对水稻幼苗抗冷力的影响

利用Ｈ２Ｏ２和甲基紫精（ＭＶ）对水稻幼苗作三种不同程度的氧化胁迫预处理。结果表明：轻度氧化胁迫预处理（１０ｕｍｏｌ／ＬＨ２Ｏ２或１０ｕｍｏｌ／ＬＭＶ处理４ｈ）提高了水稻幼苗的抗冷力,严重氧化胁迫预处理（１０ｕｍｏｌ／ＬＨ２Ｏ２或１０ｕｍｏｌ／ＬＭＶ分别处理１６ｈ和４０ｈ）则削弱水稻幼苗的抗冷力。氧化胁迫预处理刺激了水稻幼苗叶片抗氧化酶（ＳＯＤ,ＣＡＴ,ＰＯＸ和ＡＰＸ）的活性。经冷胁迫后,不同预处理苗的叶片抗氧化酶活性、膜脂过氧化和膜结构的变化趋势不同：轻度氧化胁迫预处理使幼苗仍保持较高的抗氧化酶活性,减轻了由冷胁迫引起的膜脂过氧化和细胞膜的渗漏程度,而严重氧化胁迫预处理则相反。因此,水稻幼苗对氧化胁迫感知并作出反应的机制（氧化应激机制）在水稻幼苗对低温反应和适应过程中起着很重要的调节作用。     

Involvement of Protein Phosphorylation in Water Stress-induced Antioxidant Defense in Maize Leaves

Using pharmacological and biochemical approaches, the role of protein phosphorylation and the interrelationship between water stress-enhanced kinase activity, antioxidant enzyme activity, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) accumulation and endogenous abscisic acid in maize (Zea mays L.) leaves were investigated. Water-stress upregulated the activities of total protein phosphorylation and Ca2+ -dependent protein kinase, and the upregulation was blocked in abscisic acid-deficient vp5 mutant. Furthermore, pretreatments with a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase inhibitor and a scavenger of H2O2 significantly reduced the increased activities of total protein kinase and Ca2+-dependent protein kinase in maize leaves exposed to water stress. Pretreatments with different protein kinase inhibitors also reduced the water stress-induced H2O2 production and the water stress-enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase. The data suggest that protein phosphorylation and H2O2 generation are required for water stress-induced antioxidant defense in maize leaves and that crosstalk between protein phosphorylation and H2O2 generation may occur.     

AtGLB1 enhances the tolerance of Arabidopsis to hydrogen peroxide stress

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a widespread molecule plays an important role in plant stress responses. Here, we showed that an Arabidopsis line overexpressing hemoglobin 1 (AtGLB1) can enhance its tolerance to severe hypoxic stress. In our research, Arabidopsis lines with different hemoglobin levels were employed to study the relationship between H2O2 level and the tolerance to hypoxic stress. The relatively low endogenous H2O2 level of AtGLB1-overexpressing plants could be one of the main factors for the increased tolerance of plants to hypoxic stress. Further investigation indicated that the activity of the antioxidant system involved in scavenging H2O2 increased in all three lines examined during hypoxic treatment, while only the line overexpressing AtGLB1 could retain these relatively high levels up to 48 h of the treatment, suggesting that the antioxidant system might play a role in the low H2O2 level of Arabidopsis overexpressing AtGLB1.     

Combinations of mild physical or chemical pretreatment with biological pretreatment for enzymatic hydrolysis of rice hull

Two novel two-step pretreatments for enzymatic hydrolysis of rice hull (RH) were proposed to lower the severity requirement of fungal pretreatment time. They consisted of a mild physical or chemical step (ultrasonic and H(2)O(2)) and a subsequent biological treatment (Pleurotus ostreatus). The combined pretreatments led to significant increases of the lignin degradation than those of one step pretreatments. After enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated RH, the net yields of total soluble sugar (TS) and glucose (G) increased greatly. The combined pretreatment of H(2)O(2) (2%, 48 h) and P. ostreatus (18 d) was more effective than sole pretreatment of P. ostreatus for 60 d. It could remarkably shorten the residence time and reduce the losses of carbohydrates. Ligninase analyses and SEM observations indicated that the enhancing of the efficiency could possibly attribute to the structure disruption of the RH during the first pretreatment step. So, the combined pretreatment could be recommended to different lignocellulosic materials for enzyme based conversions.     

Thermotolerance and antioxidant systems in Agrostis stolonifera: involvement of salicylic acid, abscisic acid, calcium, hydrogen peroxide, and ethylene

This study investigated whether pre-treating plants with specific putative signaling components and heat acclimation would induce tolerance of a cool-season grass, creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera var. palustris), to subsequent heat stress and whether thermotolerance induction of those pretreatments was associated with the regulation of antioxidant regenerating enzymes. The treatments included foliar application of salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA), calcium chloride (CaCl2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC, a precursor of ethylene prior to the exposure of plants to heat stress (35 degrees C) in a growth chamber. Physiological measurements including turf quality, leaf photosynthetic rate, and levels of oxidative damage demonstrated that all treatments increased heat tolerance. The better heat tolerance for pre-treated plants as compared to controls was related to the protection of oxidative damage under heat stress. APX activity increased over the first 2 days and 5 days of heating for ACC and CaCl2 respectively, but for only 12 h for H2O2. SA and ABA pre-treatments had no effects on APX activity earlier, but maintained APX activity at a significantly higher level than in controls after 24 h of heating. SA and ABA pre-treatments had no effects on POX activity. ACC treatment significantly increased POX activity. Pre-treatment with CaCl2, H2O2, and HA reduced POX activity, particularly during the later phase of heating. Plants treated with SA, CaCl2, H2O2 and HA had lower CAT activity than their control plants prior to heating and within 48 h of heat stress. ABA and ACC pre-treatments maintained higher CAT activity than the controls after 48 h of heating. ACC, CaCl2, or HA pre-treatments increased SOD activity only before 5 days of heat stress. SA and ABA pre-treatments had less effect on APX activity earlier under heat stress. These results suggest that specific groups of potential signaling molecules may induce tolerance of creeping bentgrass to heat stress by reducing oxidative damage.     

Participation of H2O2 in Enhancement of Cold Chilling by Salicylic Acid in Banana Seedlings

The possible physiological mechanism of enhancement of cold tolerance by salicylic acid (SA) in banana seedlings (Musa acuminata cv. Williams 8188) was explored. Measurements of leakage electrolyte after 2 d of recovery at 30/22 ℃ (day/night) following 3 d of cold stress at 7 ℃ showed that pretreatment with hydroponic solution containing SA 0.3－0.9 mmol/L as foliar spray under normal growth conditions (30/22 ℃) could significantly enhance cold tolerance of banana plants. The highest enhancing effect of SA occurred at 0.5 mmol/L and it showed the lowest leakage rate of electrolyte or smaller leaf wilting area after 2 d of recovery at normal temperature from 3 d of 7 ℃ or 5 ℃ cold stress. Higher concentrations (≥2.5 mmol/L) of SA, however, caused more electrolyte leakage, indicating that they aggravated chilling damage. Enhanced cold tolerance by SA could be related to H2O2 metabolism. Compared with water-treated seedlings (control), SA 0.5 mmol/L treatment inhibited activities of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), increased peroxidase (POX) activity, but did not affect the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) under normal growth conditions, and these changes might lead to an accumulation of H2O2, whereas SA pretreatment enhanced the activities of CAT and APX, and reduced the increase in productions of H2O2 and thiobarbituric acid-reaction substances (TBARS) during subsequent 7 ℃ cold stress and recovery periods. Exogenous H2O2 treatments (1.5－2.5 mmol/L) also increased cold tolerance of banana seedlings. Furthermore, pretreatment of banana seedlings with dimethylthiourea (a trap for H2O2) significantly inhibited cold tolerance induced by SA. These results suggested that endogenous H2O2 may be required for SA-enhanced cold tolerance. The significance of the interaction of SA, H2O2 and H2O2-metabolizing enzymes during cold stress has been discussed.     

Genome-wide analysis of yeast stress survival and tolerance acquisition to analyze the central trade-off between growth rate and cellular robustness

All organisms have evolved to cope with changes in environmental conditions, ensuring the optimal combination of proliferation and survival. In yeast, exposure to a mild stress leads to an increased tolerance for other stresses. This suggests that yeast uses information from the environment to prepare for future threats. We used the yeast knockout collection to systematically investigate the genes and functions involved in severe stress survival and in the acquisition of stress (cross-) tolerance. Besides genes and functions relevant for survival of heat, acid, and oxidative stress, we found an inverse correlation between mutant growth rate and stress survival. Using chemostat cultures, we confirmed that growth rate governs stress tolerance, with higher growth efficiency at low growth rates liberating the energy for these investments. Cellular functions required for stress tolerance acquisition, independent of the reduction in growth rate, were involved in vesicular transport, the Rpd3 histone deacetylase complex, and the mitotic cell cycle. Stress resistance and acquired stress tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are governed by a combination of stress-specific and general processes. The reduction of growth rate, irrespective of the cause of this reduction, leads to redistribution of resources toward stress tolerance functions, thus preparing the cells for impending change.     

Induction of systemic stress tolerance by brassinosteroid in Cucumis sativus

? Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a new class of plant hormones that are essential for plant growth and development. Here, the involvement of BRs in plant systemic tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses was studied. ? The effects of 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) on plant stress tolerance were studied through the assessment of symptoms of photooxidative stress by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging pulse amplitude modulation, the analysis of gene expression using quantitative real-time PCR and the measurement of hydrogen peroxide (H?O?) production using a spectrophotometric assay or confocal laser scanning microscopy. ? Treatment of primary leaves with EBR induced systemic tolerance to photooxidative stress in untreated upper and lower leaves. This was accompanied by the systemic accumulation of H?O? and the systemic induction of genes associated with stress responses. Foliar treatment of EBR also enhanced root resistance to Fusarium wilt pathogen. Pharmacological study showed that EBR-induced systemic tolerance was dependent on local and systemic H?O? accumulation. The expression of BR biosynthetic genes was repressed in EBR-treated leaves, but elevated significantly in untreated systemic leaves. Further analysis indicated that EBR-induced systemic induction of BR biosynthetic genes was mediated by systemically elevated H?O?. ? These results strongly argue that local EBR treatment can activate the continuous production of H?O?, and the autopropagative nature of the reactive oxygen species signal, in turn, mediates EBR-induced systemic tolerance.     

AtHsfA2 modulates expression of stress responsive genes and enhances tolerance to heat and oxidative stress in Arabidopsis

In nature, plants are subject to changes of tempera-ture. Thus, like other organisms, plants have evolved strategies for preventing damage caused by rapid changes in temperature and for repairing what damage is unavoidable. Heat stress responses have been well documented in a wide range of organisms. In all spe-cies studied, the heat shock (HS) response is charac-terized by a rapid production and a transient accumu-lation of specific families of proteins known as heat shock proteins (Hsps) th…     

Variable overoxidation of peroxiredoxins in human lung cells in severe oxidative stress

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are a group of thiol containing proteins that participate both in signal transduction and in the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) during oxidative stress. Six distinct Prxs have been characterized in human cells (Prxs I-VI). Prxs I-IV form dimers held together by disulfide bonds, Prx V forms intramolecular bond, but the mechanism of Prx VI, so-called 1-Cys Prx, is still unclear. Here we describe the regulation of all six Prxs in cultured human lung A549 and BEAS-2B cells. The cells were exposed to variable concentrations of H(2)O(2), menadione, tumor necrosis factor-alpha or transforming growth factor-beta. To evoke glutathione depletion, the cells were furthermore treated with buthionine sulfoximine. Only high concentrations (300 microM) of H(2)O(2) caused a minor increase (<28%, 4 h) in the expression of Prxs I, IV, and VI. Severe oxidant stress (250-500 microM H(2)O(2)) caused a significant increase in the proportion of the monomeric forms of Prxs I-IV; this was reversible at lower H(2)O(2) concentrations (< or =250 microM). This recovery of Prx overoxidation differed among the various Prxs; Prx I was recovered within 24 h, but recovery required 48 h for Prx III. Overall, Prxs are not significantly modulated by mild oxidant stress or cytokines, but there is variable, though reversible, overoxidation in these proteins during severe oxidant exposure.