Carotenoid oxidation products are stress signals that mediate gene responses to singlet oxygen in plants
Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: (1)O(2) (singlet oxygen) is a reactive O(2) species produced from triplet excited chlorophylls in the chloroplasts, especially when plants are exposed to excess light energy. Similarly to other active O(2) species, (1)O(2) has a dual effect: It is toxic, causing oxidation of biomolecules, and it can act as a signal molecule that leads to cell death or to acclimation. Carotenoids are considered to be the main (1)O(2) quenchers in chloroplasts, and we show here that light stress induces the oxidation of the carotenoid β-carotene in Arabidopsis plants, leading to the accumulation of different volatile derivatives. One such compound, β-cyclocitral, was found to induce changes in the expression of a large set of genes that have been identified as (1)O(2) responsive genes. In contrast, β-cyclocitral had little effect on the expression of H(2)O(2) gene markers. β-Cyclocitral-induced reprogramming of gene expression was associated with an increased tolerance to photooxidative stress. The results indicate that β-cyclocitral is a stress signal produced in high light that is able to induce defense mechanisms and represents a likely messenger involved in the (1)O(2) signaling pathway in plants.
Authors: Fanny Ramel, Simona Birtic, Christian Ginies, Ludivine Soubigou-Taconnat, Christian Triantaphylidès, Michel Havaux
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Institute of Environmental Biology and Biotechnology, CEA Cadarache, Direction des Sciences du Vivant, Institut de Biosciences et biotechnologies d'Aix-Marseille, Université d'Avignon et des Pays de Vaucluse, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université d'Évry Val-d'Essonne
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W1997960966