title: Thiol redox state and related enzymes in sclerotium-forming filamentous phytopathogenic fungi.
abstract: Thiol redox state (TRS) reduced and oxidized components form profiles characteristic of each of the four main types of differentiation in the sclerotiogenic phytopathogenic fungi: loose, terminal, lateral-chained, and lateral-simple, represented by Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Sclerotium rolfsii, and Sclerotinia minor, respectively. A common feature of these fungi is that as their undifferentiated mycelium enters the differentiated state, it is accompanied by a decrease in the low oxidative stress-associated total reduced thiols and/or by an increase of the high oxidative stress-associated total oxidized thiols either in the sclerotial mycelial substrate or in its corresponding sclerotium, indicating a relationship between TRS-related oxidative stress and sclerotial differentiation. Moreover, the four studied sclerotium types exhibit high activities of TRS-related antioxidant enzymes, indicating the existence of antioxidant protection of the hyphae of the sclerotium medulla until conditions become appropriate for sclerotium germination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26100-Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patsoukis
authors.forename: D Christos
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Georgiou
mesh_terms: D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*; D025282:Mycelium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds