Synchrony between catalases and ascorbate peroxidases in cowpea leaves protection against the water and salt stress-induced oxidative damage

• Autor(a) principal: JoÃo Paulo Matos Santos Lima
• Data de Publicação: 2007
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UFC
• Texto Completo: http://www.teses.ufc.br/tde_busca/arquivo.php?codArquivo=897
• topic: Vigna unguiculata; Estresse Oxidativo; APX; CAT; Aminotriazole; Cowpea; Oxidative stress; APX; CAT; Aminotriazole; FISIOLOGIA VEGETAL

Water stress, induced by drought or salinity, is the major environmental restriction to plant survive and crop sustainability, specially in semi-arid areas, where they are often associated to high temperatures and high radiation rates. Part of the effects exerted by these abiotic stresses on plant metabolism is mediated by oxidative damage due to an increased production of active oxygen species (AOS). The present study aims to elucidate the interactions and the importance of the catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzymatic antioxidants systems in the protection of cowpea leaf tissues [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] against the oxidative damage induced by water deficit and salinity. The experimental approach adopted, involved 3 different experiments, using PEG-induced water stress or NaCl-induced salt stress, combined to the CAT inhibitor 3-Amino-1,2,4-trizole (3-AT) application. These experiments were conduced under two environmental conditions: in a growth chamber, under controlled conditions, and in a greenhouse, under the typical semiarid conditions of the Brazilian Northeast. PEG and NaCl treatments were applied to the nutritive solution for 72 h, while the 3-AT was daily sprayed in the shoot. The osmotic stress induced by PEG or NaCl caused acute declines in the transpiration rates, due to increase in stomatal resistance, as well as an intense growth reduction, in the plants cultivated in the greenhouse conditions. The osmotic stressed plants presented significant increases on lipid peroxidation and on the ascorbate content, in addition to a CAT activity reduction. The osmotic stress and 3-AT combination raised the APX activity levels that counteracted, at least in part, the CAT absence. The fall in the CAT activity was related to a strong mRNA expression restraint, followed by an up-regulation of the cytosolic APX mRNA. These results indicate the presence of a controlled synchrony between the expression and enzymatic activity of these antioxidant systems, in the regulation and detoxification of the AOS produced in plant cells, during environmental stresses situations.