Biotic and heavy metal stress response in plants: evidence for common signals.
In higher plants, biotic stress (e.g., herbivore or pathogen attack) as well as abiotic stress (in particular heavy metals) often induce the synthesis and accumulation of the same defense-related secondary metabolites. This well-known finding still awaits an explanation regarding the common features of both stress types. In this study, a mechanism is proposed that links reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation with lipid oxidation processes, ultimately resulting in the formation of similar, highly active signalling compounds. The generation of ROS is a common event in both heavy metal treatment and biotic stress although it can depend on quite different, enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. Regardless, ROS are involved in the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids which initiate the formation of oxylipins, a highly variable class of lipid-derived compounds in plants. Oxylipins represent new endogenous signals involved in biotic- and abiotic-induced stress responses.
Mithöfer
Axel
A
Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Okologie, Bioorganische Chemie, Beutenberg Campus, Hans-Knöll-Str. 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany. amithoefer@ice.mpg.de
Schulze
Birgit
B
Boland
Wilhelm
W
D000818:Animals; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008084:Lipoxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity*; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000032:analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D027805:Phaseolus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000472:pathogenicity
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D008084:Lipoxygenase; D019255:NADPH Oxidases