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The effect of nitric oxide on heme oxygenase gene expression in soybean leaves

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Abstract

Heme oxygenase (HO, EC 1.14.99.3) catalyzes the oxidative conversion of heme to biliverdin IXα with the concomitant release of carbon monoxide and iron. Recently, HO has been involved in the protection against oxidative stress in plants. The fact that nitric oxide (NO), an endogenous signaling molecule in animals and plants mediates responses to abiotic and biotic stresses, prompted us to study whether this molecule could modulate HO-1 gene transcription. To fulfill this objective leaves of soybean (Glycine max L.) plants were stimulated with Cd, employing an acute intoxication model. Cadmium caused dehydration, chlorophyll loss and ion leakage. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed no augmentation of HO-1 transcript levels with respect to controls. Pretreatment with 100 μM sodium nitroprussiate (SNP), a well-known NO donor, prevented the effects caused by Cd. When the HO-1 mRNA levels were analyzed, a significant augmentation (54%) was observed with respect to Cd-treated plants. On the other hand, 50 or 300 μM SNP did not fully prevent the effects elicited by Cd. When HO-1 transcript levels were analyzed, no significant enhancement or a down-regulation was observed. The potassium salt of 2-(4-carboxylphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO), a specific NO scavenger, arrested NO-mediated protective effects against to Cd-induced oxidative damage. These data provide an understanding of one of the possible roles that NO can play against an oxidative insult. NO is cytoprotective depending on its concentration, and it was further demonstrated that this protection could be, at least in part, mediated by an enhancement of HO-1 mRNA, as it happens with genes associated with the antioxidant defense system.

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Abbreviations

BV:

Biliverdin IXα

cPTIO:

2-(4-Carboxyphenil)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide

DAB:

3,3′-Diamino benzidine

HO:

Heme oxygenase

NBT:

Nitroblue tetrazolium

NO:

Nitric oxide

NOS:

Nitric oxide synthetase

SNP:

Sodium nitroprussiate

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) and from Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) (Argentina). K.B.B., A.B. and M.L.T. are Career Investigators from CONICET.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias (CIPYP), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Guillermo O. Noriega & Alcira Batlle

  2. Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, Buenos Aires, 1113, Argentina

    Gustavo G. Yannarelli, Karina B. Balestrasse & Maria L. Tomaro

Authors
  1. Guillermo O. Noriega
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  2. Gustavo G. Yannarelli
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  3. Karina B. Balestrasse
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  4. Alcira Batlle
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  5. Maria L. Tomaro
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Correspondence to Maria L. Tomaro.

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Noriega, G.O., Yannarelli, G.G., Balestrasse, K.B. et al. The effect of nitric oxide on heme oxygenase gene expression in soybean leaves. Planta 226, 1155–1163 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-007-0561-8

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