title: The ascorbate-glutathione-α-tocopherol triad in abiotic stress response.
abstract: The life of any living organism can be defined as a hurdle due to different kind of stresses. As with all living organisms, plants are exposed to various abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures and chemical toxicity. These primary stresses are often interconnected, and lead to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants, which are highly reactive and toxic and cause damage to proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and DNA, which ultimately results in oxidative stress. Stress-induced ROS accumulation is counteracted by enzymatic antioxidant systems and non-enzymatic low molecular weight metabolites, such as ascorbate, glutathione and α-tocopherol. The above mentioned low molecular weight antioxidants are also capable of chelating metal ions, reducing thus their catalytic activity to form ROS and also scavenge them. Hence, in plant cells, this triad of low molecular weight antioxidants (ascorbate, glutathione and α-tocopherol) form an important part of abiotic stress response. In this work we are presenting a review of abiotic stress responses connected to these antioxidants.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111 Szent Gellért tér 4, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szarka
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111 Szent Gellért tér 4, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Bálint
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tomasskovics
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry Pathobiochemistry, Research Group of Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, 1444 Budapest, POB 260, Hungary.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bánhegyi
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000235:genetics; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D005978:Glutathione / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D059828:Plant Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018744:DNA, Plant; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D005978:Glutathione; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid