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In vivoelicitation of ascorbate oxidase activity by dioxygen and its possible role in photosynthesizing leaves

Un possibile ruolo dell’ascorbico ossidasi nelle foglie durante lo svolgimento della fotosintesi

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Abstract

Ascorbate oxidase (AAO, EC 1.10.3.3) is a complex blue copper-protein capable to reduce molecular oxygen to water without generating reactive oxygen intermediates, by using ascorbic acid (AA) as an electron donor. We detected higher AAO activity when O2 concentration was experimentally increasedin vivo, whereas AA concentration did not affect AAO activity. A rise in AAO activity also occurred in illuminated leaf disks. DCMU largely prevented light-dependent stimulation of enzyme activity. AAO activity was absent in the parasitic non-green plantCuscuta reflexa. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that AAO up-regulation induced by O2 and light could have a fundamental role in regulating dioxygen diffusion in leaves performing dioxygenic photosynthesis.

Riassunto

L’enzima ascorbico ossidasi (AAO, EC 1.10.3.3) è una complessa proteina contenente rame che catalizza la riduzione dell’ossigeno molecolare ad acqua senza la formazione di intermedi reattivi dell’ossigeno (ROI) utilizzando acido ascorbico (AA) come donatore di equivalenti riducenti. L’attività di AAO viene elicitata dall’aumento sperimentale della concentrazione di ossigenoin vivo. Anche la luce incrementa l’attività di AAO in dischetti di foglia, e l’inibitore del trasporto elettronico fotosintetico DCMU previene largamente la stimolazione dell’attività causata dalla luce. L’attività di AAO era assente nell’angiosperma oloparassita non fotosinteticaCuscuta reflexa. I dati riportati indicano come l’aumento dell’attività di AAO indotto da O2 e dalla luce potrebbe avere un ruolo fondamentale nel regolare la diffusione dell’ossigeno in foglie che svolgono attività fotosintetica.

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Correspondence to Oreste Arrigoni.

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Nella seduta del 14 febbraio 2003.

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Arrigoni, O., Chinni, E., Ciraci, S. et al. In vivoelicitation of ascorbate oxidase activity by dioxygen and its possible role in photosynthesizing leaves . Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 14, 127–134 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02904516

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