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Antioxidant responses to enhanced generation of superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide in the copper-stressed mulberry plants

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to implicate the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and altered cellular redox environment with the effects of Cu-deficiency or Cu-excess in mulberry (Morus alba L.) cv. Kanva 2 plants. A study of antioxidative responses, indicators of oxidative damage and cellular redox environment in Cu-deficient or Cu-excess mulberry plants was undertaken. While the young leaves of plants supplied with nil Cu showed chlorosis and necrotic scorching of laminae, the older and middle leaves of plants supplied with nil or 0.1 μM Cu showed purplish-brown pigmented interveinal areas that later turned necrotic along the apices and margins of leaves. The Cu-excess plants showed accelerated senescence of the older leaves. The Cu-deficient plants showed accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion radical. The accumulation of hydrogen peroxide was strikingly intense in the middle portion of trichomes on Cu-deficient leaves. Though the concentration of total ascorbate increased with the increasing supply of Cu, the ratio of the redox couple (DHA/ascorbic acid) increased in Cu-deficient or Cu-excess plants. The activities of superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7), ascorbate peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.11) and glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) increased in both Cu-deficient and Cu-excess plants. The results suggest that deficiency of Cu aggravates oxidative stress through enhanced generation of ROS and disturbed redox couple. Excess of Cu damaged roots, accelerated the rate of senescence in the older leaves, induced antioxidant responses and disturbed the cellular redox environment in the young leaves of mulberry plants.

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Abbreviations

AsA:

Ascorbic acid

ASC:

Total ascorbate

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

CAT:

Catalase

DTT:

Dithiothreitol

EDTA:

Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid

GR:

Glutathione reductase

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

POD:

Peroxidase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TCA:

Trichloroacetic acid

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India, for their financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of Lucknow, 226007, Lucknow, India

    Rajesh Kumar Tewari, Praveen Kumar & Parma Nand Sharma

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  1. Rajesh Kumar Tewari
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  2. Praveen Kumar
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  3. Parma Nand Sharma
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Correspondence to Parma Nand Sharma.

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Tewari, R.K., Kumar, P. & Sharma, P.N. Antioxidant responses to enhanced generation of superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide in the copper-stressed mulberry plants. Planta 223, 1145–1153 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-005-0160-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-005-0160-5

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