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Review
. 2015 Jun 12;16(6):13561-78.
doi: 10.3390/ijms160613561.

Ascorbate Peroxidase and Catalase Activities and Their Genetic Regulation in Plants Subjected to Drought and Salinity Stresses

Adriano Sofo  1 , Antonio Scopa  2 , Maria Nuzzaci  3 , Antonella Vitti  4
Affiliations
Review

Ascorbate Peroxidase and Catalase Activities and Their Genetic Regulation in Plants Subjected to Drought and Salinity Stresses

Adriano Sofo et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an important relatively stable non-radical reactive oxygen species (ROS) is produced by normal aerobic metabolism in plants. At low concentrations, H2O2 acts as a signal molecule involved in the regulation of specific biological/physiological processes (photosynthetic functions, cell cycle, growth and development, plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses). Oxidative stress and eventual cell death in plants can be caused by excess H2O2 accumulation. Since stress factors provoke enhanced production of H2O2 in plants, severe damage to biomolecules can be possible due to elevated and non-metabolized cellular H2O2. Plants are endowed with H2O2-metabolizing enzymes such as catalases (CAT), ascorbate peroxidases (APX), some peroxiredoxins, glutathione/thioredoxin peroxidases, and glutathione sulfo-transferases. However, the most notably distinguished enzymes are CAT and APX since the former mainly occurs in peroxisomes and does not require a reductant for catalyzing a dismutation reaction. In particular, APX has a higher affinity for H2O2 and reduces it to H2O in chloroplasts, cytosol, mitochondria and peroxisomes, as well as in the apoplastic space, utilizing ascorbate as specific electron donor. Based on recent reports, this review highlights the role of H2O2 in plants experiencing water deficit and salinity and synthesizes major outcomes of studies on CAT and APX activity and genetic regulation in drought- and salt-stressed plants.

Keywords: abiotic stress; ascorbate peroxidase (APX); catalase (CAT); hydrogen peroxide (H2O2); reactive oxygen species (ROS).

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Changes in the destination of absorbed photons with increasing degrees of drought or salinity has effects on some plant physiological and biochemical processes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants subjected to abiotic stresses, showing the key role of CAT in ROS scavenging patterns. ETC = electron transport system; ICDH = isocitrate dehydrogenase.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Production and scavenging of ROS in chloroplasts of plants subjected to abiotic stresses, showing the key role of ascorbate peroxidases (APX) in ROS scavenging patterns.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Electron transport chain of the inner mitochondrial membrane of plant cells. Enzymes in yellow and membrane-bound complexes in grey; inhibitors of electron transport are flanked by a double bar. C I = complex I, NADH dehydrogenase; C II = succinate dehydrogenase; C III = ubiquinol-cytochrome bc1 reductase; C IV = cytochrome c oxidase; cyt c = cytochrome c; SHAM = salicylichydroxamic acid.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Role of the H2O2 under normal physiological conditions (above, indicated with green color), and under stress conditions (below, indicated with brown color).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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