Response of antioxidant systems in oxygen deprived suspension cultures of rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.)

The effect of oxygen deprivation (anoxia) on the antioxidant system in suspension culture of anoxia-intolerant Malaysian rice mutants cells was examined. Abiotic stresses have been reported to adversely affect cell division, damage cellular and organelle membranes. The signaling defense mechanisms, such as molecular and biochemical aspects responding to stress have been proven to be very complex, and still largely untapped. The objective of this study was to determine the potential involvement of activated oxygen species, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase which occur in cells of rice plants exposed to anoxia stress in two Malaysian rice mutants, MR219-4 and MR219-9, and rice cultivar FR13A which is known to be tolerant to anoxia stress during 5–30 days of exposure. The antioxidative enzymes were decreased for MR219-4 and MR219-9 mutants for CAT and APX activities, and increased in FR13A cultivar starting at 20 days in suspension culture compared to that of control. CAT and APX activities were maintained higher in anoxia condition for all mutants and cultivar. These findings suggested that anoxia stress in suspension cultures induced the level of H₂O₂ to toxic levels.