title: Characterization of Antioxidant Enzymes and Peroxisomes of Olive (Olea europaea L.) Fruits.
abstract: The presence of peroxisomes in olive (Olea europaea L.) fruits and different antioxidant enzymes occurring in this plant tissue is reported for the first time. Ultrastructural analysis showed that olive cells were characterized by the presence of large vacuoles and lipid drops. Plastids, mitochondria and peroxisomes were placed near the cell wall, showing some type of association with it. Olive fruit peroxisomes were purified by sucrose density-gradient centrifugation, and catalase, glutathione reductase and ascorbate peroxidase were found in peroxisomes. In olive fruit tissue the presence of a battery of antioxidant enzymes was demonstrated, including catalase, four superoxide dismutase (SOD) isozymes (mainly an Fe-SOD plus 2 Cu,Zn-SODs and a Mn-SOD), all the enzymes of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle, reduced and oxidized glutathione, ascorbate, and four NADPH-recycling dehydrogenases. Knowing the full composition of antioxidants (enzymatic and non-enzumatic) in olive fruits is crucial to be able to understand the processes regulating the antioxidant composition of olive oil.
authors.affiliation: CSIC -Spanish Council for Scientific Research (Estación Experimental Zaidín), Group of Antioxidants, Free Radicals and Nitric Oxide in Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture, Spain. Electronic address: eduardo.lopezhuertas@eez.csic.es.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lopez-Huertas
authors.affiliation: CSIC -Spanish Council for Scientific Research- (Estación Experimental Zaidín), Free Radicals and Nitric Oxide in Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture Spain, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis Alfonso
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Del Río