Stimulation of ROS-scavenging systems in squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) plants by compost supplementation under normal and low temperature conditions

The beneficial effect of compost, the final product of aerobic biodegradation of organic matter, on growth, lipid peroxidation [as malondialdehyde (MDA], hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide anion (O₂^•−), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as reduced ascorbate (ASC) and glutathione (GSH) and their oxidized forms was investigated in squash (Cucurbita pepo L. cv. Eskandarany) plants exposed to normal and low temperature (LT) conditions. LT stress of 8 °C significantly reduced the plant growth of untreated plants, but compost alleviated the adverse effect of stress and significantly increased the fresh and dry weights under normal and stress conditions. LT also induced accumulation of H₂O₂ and O₂^•− and resulted in increased lipid peroxidation, pointing out to cellular oxidative stress. Under compost application, such reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxidized lipids were markedly reduced, but SOD, CAT, APX and GR activities, key enzymes of ROS-scavenging systems, were significantly increased. Data also indicated that there were general reductions in total ascorbate and glutathione pool in LT control plants, but compost-treated ones considerably have maintained higher levels of such redox metabolites. Significantly higher ratios of ASC/DHA (dehydroascorbate) and GSH/GSSG (glutathione disulfide) were generally found in compost-treated plants than in untreated-ones. It is evident that compost induced enhancement of LT tolerance was related to up-regulation of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems. Such enhancement would eventually protect plant cells from LT-induced oxidative stress reactions via scavenging ROS.     

家蚕谷胱甘肽转移酶基因的克隆、序列分析及其表达模式

谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶(GSTs)是昆虫体内重要的解毒酶系,在对外源和内源化合物解毒代谢中起着重要的作用。以GenBank中已知的昆虫GST的氨基酸序列在家蚕(Bombyx mori)基因组序列中作TBLASTN检索,获得了多个可能的家蚕GST同源基因。对其中的一个GST新基因进行了EST分析和克隆,结果表明,该基因编码区全长663bp。以该基因推导的氨基酸序列与其它物种的GSTs进行相似性比较和系统发育分析,发现此基因为delta家族的成员,并命名为BmGSTd3。RT-PCR结果表明,BmGSTd3基因在家蚕5龄第3天的8个组织中都有表达,中肠和表皮的表达丰度较高。在辛硫磷处理家蚕后的72h内,BmGSTd3基因的转录水平与对照组相比没有显著的变化。对BmGSTd3基因的5'侧翼区的调控序列进行了预测,共发现12个可能与内源和外源物代谢以及抗氧化相关的转录调控元件。     

L-cysteine Stimulates Selenite Uptake through GSH Involving in Selenite Reduction in Rice Roots

The effect of L-cysteine on selenite uptake rate in rice roots was investigated in this study. The results indicated that L-cysteine stimulated selenite uptake significantly, but D-cysteine had no effect on selenite uptake. Selenite uptake increased significantly when the roots were exposed to the L-cysteine solution following a cleanup of the adsorbed L-cysteine on the root surface. Exogenous reduced glutathione stimulated selenite uptake significantly, but oxidized glutathione had no effect on selenite uptake. Split-root experiments showed that exogenous L-cysteine and reduced glutathione applied to one-half of the root system induced selenite uptake by the untreated half. Furthermore, reduced glutathione concentration in rice roots was increased or reduced significantly when exposed to L-cysteine or selenite solution, respectively. A correlation analysis revealed selenite uptake rate was positively correlated with reduced glutathione concentration in rice roots but not in rice leaves. L-cysteine stimulates selenite uptake through reduced glutathione involving in selenite reduction in rice roots.     

油松谷胱苷肽转移酶Tau1单体结构稳定性研究

[目的]探究油松PtGSTU1结构与功能的关系,探讨油松PtGSTU1蛋白的单体稳定性。[方法]利用同源建模模拟PtGSTU1的三维结构,推测其N末端18位精氨酸(Arg18)和C末端103位天冬氨酸(Asp103)能够形成氢键来稳定蛋白单体结构。利用定点突变,分别将Arg18和Asp103突变为具有不同极性和构象的氨基酸残基,检测其蛋白的催化活性及结构稳定性。[结果]6个Arg18突变体均无法获得高纯度的具有正确折叠的可溶蛋白,而Asp103突变体可以表达为可溶蛋白,Asp103突变体对不同底物的催化活性和亲和力明显低于野生型,对经典底物CDNB和GSH反应的催化速率(Vmax)降低了至少9倍,对底物的催化效率(kcat/Km)也明显降低。[结论]Arg18和Asp103之间形成的氢键对稳定PtGSTU1单体结构具有重要作用,由于植物GST蛋白N端的保守性和C端结构域的多变性,Arg18的突变对结构和活性的影响大于Asp103,同时预示着C端结构域中可能存在其他氨基酸位点能够与18位精氨酸形成氢键,从而稳定蛋白单体折叠结构。     

Hydrogen peroxide localization and antioxidant status in the recovery of apricot plants from European Stone Fruit Yellows

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) localization and roles of peroxidases, malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione were compared in leaves of apricot (Prunus armeniaca) plants asymptomatic, European Stone Fruits Yellows (ESFY)-symptomatic and recovered. Nested PCR analysis revealed that Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum, is present in asymptomatic, symptomatic and recovered apricot trees, confirming previous observations on this species, in which recovery does not seem to be related to the disappearance of phytoplasma from the plant.H₂O₂was detected cytochemically by its reaction with cerium chloride, which produces electron-dense deposits of cerium perhydroxides. H₂O₂was present in the plasmalemma of the phloem cells of recovered apricot plant leaves, but not in the asymptomatic or symptomatic material. Furthermore, by labelling apricot leaf tissues with diaminobenzidine DAB, no differences were found in the localization of peroxidases.Protein content in asymptomatic, symptomatic and recovered leaves was not significantly different from one another. In contrast, guaiacol peroxidase activity had the following trend: symptomatic > recovered > asymptomatic, whereas reduced glutathione content followed the opposite trend: asymptomatic > recovered > symptomatic. Moreover, no differences were observed in malondialdehyde concentrations between asymptomatic, symptomatic and recovered leaves. The overall results suggest that H₂O₂ and related metabolites and enzymes appear to be involved in lessening both pathogen virulence and disease symptom expression in ESFY-infected apricot plants.     

Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Porcine Blood

Determination of the seleno-enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in blood from Danish Landrace pigs was done using a quantitative, spectrophotometric method and a simple “spot test”. A close correlation between the net reaction rate measured spectrophotometrically (Δ A/min.) and time for defluores-cence (minutes) was obtained (r² = 0.72—0.77, P < 0.0005). From these results the factors used for a conversion of defluorescence time to u/g hemoglobin were evaluated. The results further showed that the “spot test” can be used as a screening method for detection of subnormal GSH-Px levels in pigs.While red cell GSH-Px seems independent of the sex, an elevation of both plasma and red cell GSH-Px was found with increasing age of pigs. The normal range of red cell GSH-Px activity was wide, contrasting the small variations observed in the individual pig. Some evidence that porcine red cell GSH-Px is under genetical control was found and discussed in relation to the possible use of GSH-Px as an indicator of the pig''s selenium status.     

Effects of α-lipoic acid, vitamins E and C upon the heat stress in Japanese quails

Antioxidant vitamins are commonly used as colorant, preventive, sweetener, nutritive and antioxidant materials in food industry. Thus, many studies have been conducted in recent years. We have performed the present study to understand the effects of α-lipoic acid (ALA), vitamin C and E, added into rations of Japanese quails, on chronic heat stress. This study was carried out in five groups as: control, stress, ALA, vitamin E and vitamin C groups. Heat stress is applied to all groups except the control group. Superficial pectoral muscles tissues were used for biochemical determinations. During the research, it is found that heat stress exerted undesired effects such as increasing lipid peroxidation (LPO) level indicating oxidative stress in Japanese quails. In addition, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities and glutathione (GSH) amounts were studied to understand the behaviour of defence mechanism. While stress increased LPO ratio, it was determined that all antioxidant added into the ration decreases LPO significantly (p < 0.05). In addition, it was determined that all of antioxidants added into ration effectively restored SOD activity and LPO ratio which heat stress affected negatively. Interestingly, vitamin C did not adjust GSH ratio in contrast to vitamin E and ALA, where vitamin E and C did not perform any positive effect on heat stress decreased CAT activity. Finally, it can be thought that antioxidant vitamins relatively ameliorated these undesired affects caused by stress factors given.     

Purification,characterization and comparison of glutathione S-transferases from black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds) biotypes

In the UK biotypes of black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds) showing resistance to both chlorotoluron (CTU) and aryloxyphenoxypropionate graminicides are increasingly being observed. Although the precise mechanisms involved in this resistance have yet to be identified, increased herbicide metabolism has been implicated as being involved in at least some cases of resistance. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a group of enzymes which have been demonstrated to metabolise herbicides in some plants, and the resistant black-grass biotype Peldon contains approximately double the GST activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) of susceptible biotypes. To investigate further the possible role of GSTs in herbicide resistance in black-grass, a purification procedure has been developed for these enzymes. A 27.5 kDa polypeptide possessing GST activity was purified from the susceptible biotype Herbiseed. Purification of GSTs from the resistant biotype Peldon also identified this polypeptide along with an additional 30 kDa polypeptide. An in-vitro kinetic study of both crude and purified GST extracts, and western blot analysis using antisera raised against the 27.5 kDa polypeptide, suggest that the 30 kDa polypeptide may possess GST activity, and is not a precursor of the 27.5 kDa polypeptide. These results are discussed and compared to GST profiles for other weeds and crops demonstrating herbicide resistance or tolerance. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry