title: Essentiality of nickel in plants: a role in plant stresses.
abstract: The element Ni is considered an essential plant micronutrient because it acts as an activator of the enzyme urease. Recent studies have shown that Ni may activate an isoform of glyoxalase I, which performs an important step in the degradation of methylglyoxal (MG), a potent cytotoxic compound naturally produced by cellular metabolism. Reduced glutathione (GSH) is consumed and regenerated in the process of detoxification of MG, which is produced during stress (stress-induced production). We examine the role of Ni in the relationship between the MG cycle and GSH homeostasis and suggest that Ni may have a key participation in plant antioxidant metabolism, especially in stressful situations.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caio C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Fabiano
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Produção Vegetal, Universidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz Piracicaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tezotto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Produção Vegetal, Universidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz Piracicaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Favarin
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Plant Group, Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri Columbia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Polacco
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mazzafera
keywords: glutathione reductase; glyoxalase; methylglyoxal; nickel; oxidative stress