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Fusaric acid induces apoptosis in saffron root-tip cells: roles of caspase-like activity, cytochrome c, and H2O2

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Abstract

Programmed cell death (PCD), now known as apoptosis, is accompanied by specific morphological features. In this study, fusaric acid, a fusarium mycotoxin, was used to examine cell death in saffron (Crocus sativus Linnaeus) roots, using several apoptosis assays. Our results show that moderate FA doses (50–100 μM) induce apoptotic features while high FA doses (> 200 μM) stimulate necrosis. The apoptotic-like features induced by moderate doses of FA include chromatin condensation, formation of condensed chromatin spheres which bud from the nucleus, fragmentation of nucleosomal DNA into ∼ 180 bp fragments, exposure of phosphatidyl serine to the external membrane leaflet, delivery of cytochrome c to cytosol, and generation of H2O2. These apoptotic alterations in root cells are not observed in the presence of serine protease, caspase-1 or caspase-3 inhibitors. It is proposed that production of H2O2 and release of cytochrome c into the cytosol may activate caspase-like proteases and thus establish the apoptotic pathway. As nuclei budding spheres formed in plant root cells after exposure to 50–100 μM FA doses seem to be digested inside the cytosol, we suggest labeling them as internal apoptotic bodies (IAB) that may be more informative than previously used term, apoptotic-like bodies.

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Abbreviations

AEBSF:

4-[2-aminoethyl] benzenesulfonylfluoride

CTAB:

Cetyl-N,N,N triethyl ammonium bromide

DEVD:

Acyl-Asp-Glu-Valine-l-aspartic acid dehydrate

DHPE:

2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, triethylammonium salt

FA:

Fusaric acid

HR:

Hypersensitive response

PAS:

Periodic acid shiff

PCD:

Programmed cell death

TLCK:

Nα-p-Tosyl-l-lysine

TUNEL:

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl teransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling

YVAD:

Acyl-Tyr-Val-l-aspartic acid aldehyde

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Research Center Foundation of University of Tehran (research project no. 513/4/609). We sincerely thank Miss Nazanin Radnia for help in editing the manuscript.

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  1. Cell Biology Lab, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, 14155-6455, Iran

    Leili Samadi & Behrooz Shahsavan Behboodi

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  1. Leili Samadi
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  2. Behrooz Shahsavan Behboodi
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Correspondence to Behrooz Shahsavan Behboodi.

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Samadi, L., Shahsavan Behboodi, B. Fusaric acid induces apoptosis in saffron root-tip cells: roles of caspase-like activity, cytochrome c, and H2O2 . Planta 225, 223–234 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-006-0345-6

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