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Effect of phytoplasma infection on metabolite content and antioxidant enzyme activity in lime (Citrus aurantifolia)

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Abstract

The objective of the present work was to study biochemical alterations in lime plants infected by the Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifoliae. Changes in antioxidant activities, content of chlorophylls (Chl), carotenoids (Car), soluble proteins, sugars and auxin (IAA) in infected plant were investigated. The activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were observed to be greater in infected leaves than the healthy control. Also according to non-denaturing PAGE, in infected leaves all the antioxidative enzymes isoforms were stronger than that of the healthy control. These results suggest that antioxidant enzymes can be activated in response to infection by phytoplasma. The decrease in content of proteins, total soluble and reducing sugars in infected plants point out changes in host metabolism due to the phytoplasma infection. The reduction in chlorophylls and auxin content shows that the phytoplasma can interfere in photosynthesis and induces senescence in the leaf. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into the lime response to phytoplasma infection.

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Abbreviations

Car:

Carotenoid

CAT:

Catalase

Chl:

Chlorophyll

EDTA:

Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid

l-DOPA:

l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine

NBT:

Nitroblue tetrazolium

POX:

Peroxidase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SDS-PAGE:

Sodium dodecylsulphate-5 polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TBA:

Thiobarbituric acid

TCA:

Trichloroacetic acid

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Acknowledgments

The financial support of this research was provided partly by a grant-in-aid for research projects from the Engineering Research Institute, Ministry of Agricultural Jahad. The authors also acknowledge the financial support of the College of Sciences, University of Tehran. We are also grateful to the Engineering Research Institute for providing the lime plants infected by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifoliae’.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Sciences, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, 14155, Tehran, Iran

    Somaieh Zafari & Vahid Niknam

  2. Department of Biology and Plant Protection, University of Udine, via delle Scienze, 208, 33100, Udine, Italy

    Rita Musetti

  3. Engineering Research Institute, Sooliran street, 16 km Tehran-Karaj Old Road, Tehran, Iran

    Seyyed Nasr Noorbakhsh

Authors
  1. Somaieh Zafari
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  2. Vahid Niknam
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  3. Rita Musetti
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  4. Seyyed Nasr Noorbakhsh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vahid Niknam.

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Communicated by B. Barna.

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Zafari, S., Niknam, V., Musetti, R. et al. Effect of phytoplasma infection on metabolite content and antioxidant enzyme activity in lime (Citrus aurantifolia). Acta Physiol Plant 34, 561–568 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-011-0855-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-011-0855-0

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