• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 1995

The present study performed the isolation of cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase (APX) isozymes and analyzed the pattern of their activity development and also investigated the change in some other enzyme activities related to the ascorbate-glutathione pathway from the senescing wheat leaves. The aim of this work is to examine the possibility that in the cytoplasm of wheat leaves the ascorbate-glutathione pathway p!ays a significant role in relation to leaf senescence involving an $H_2O_2$ accumulation and then to show the effect of benzyladenine (BA) on that pathway. During the leaf senescence characterized by increases in ChI breakdown and H202 accumulation under the 4-day dark incubation of matured leaf segments; i) no significant increase of total cytosolic APX was observed, ii) a dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) activity was decreased rapidly, iii) a slight increase of glutathione reductase (GR) activity occurred. In the BA-treated leaves; however, i) the total activity of APX increased conspicuously, ii) the decrease of DHAR activity was relatively inhibited, iii) the GR activity increase was more enhanced, and iv) the decrease of ascorbate content and the increase of H202 content were retarded as compared with those of control leaves. Three isozymes of cytosolic APX were found by using a native-electrophoretic gel in senescing wheat leaves and two of them occurred with major activity. In the developmental patterns of cytosolic APX isozymes, only two isozyme bands ("a" and "b") appeared with almost constant activity through 4 days of incubation in the control leaves, while one additional weak isozyme band ("c") and a little increase of "b" isozyme activity were detected in the BA-treated leaves. EspeciaUy, the development of "a" isozyme activity increased remarkably compared with that of control leaves. The increased capacity for peroxide scavenging due to the enhanced activity of all 3 enzymes (APX, DHAR, GR) participating in the ascorbate-glutathione pathway in BA-treated leaves suggested that this pathway might playa significant role in the processes related to the wheat leaf senescence.scence.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2014

Pretreatment of chinese cabbage leaves with $100{\mu}M$ sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, effectively improved their tolerance to subsequent $2{\mu}M$ paraquat (PQ)-induced oxidative damage. The fresh weight, and chlorophyll and protein contents in primary leaves treated with PQ alone were noticeably reduced over 24 h light incubation. However, these leaf injury symptoms were significantly alleviated with $100{\mu}M$ SNP pretreatment for 3 h prior to PQ exposure. In additions, the increase of the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and $H_2O_2$ due to PQ exposure were significantly inhibited by SNP pretreatment. Together with the protective effects of SNP against PQ toxicity in leaves, the changes of ascorbate-glutathione cycle enzymes activities were examined. In the PQ alone treatment, the activities of APX, DHAR, and GR after 6 h incubation were rapidly reduced and showed 19%, 50% and 39% respectively, compared with those of the control. However, the decreases in these enzyme activities were significantly inhibited by SNP pretreatment. As a result, their activities were higher than those of PQ alone treatment by 5 times, 2 times, and 1.5 times, respectively, at 6 h incubation. Thereafter, these enzymes decrease their activities gradually showing high levels than those of PQ alone. Based on the above results, it can be assumed that the activation of ascorbate-glutathione cycle by SNP pretreatment in chinese cabbage leaves exposed to PQ can prevent $H_2O_2$ accumulation, thereby leading to protection against PQ-induced oxidative stress. Also, these results indicate that NO acts as an protectant against PQ stress in the leaves of chinese cabbage.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1506-1512
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• 2010

The present study examined the salinity-induced oxidative damage and differential response of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants of Nostoc muscorum. As compared with carotenoid content that showed induction, the chlorophyll and phycocyanin contents were inhibited after salt stress. Acceleration of lipid peroxidation and peroxide production suggested the onset of oxidative damage. The activities of all studied enzymatic antioxidants were significantly increased by salt stress, with maximum induction occuring with superoxide dismutase (154.8% at 200 mM NaCl treatment). Interestingly, under severe stress condition (250 mM NaCl), ascorbate peroxidase seemed to be more crucial than catalase for peroxide scavenging. Among the studied nonenzymatic antioxidants, ${\alpha}$-tocopherol was induced maximally (56.0%); however, ascorbate and reduced glutathione were increased by only 8.9% after 250 mM NaCl treatment as compared with control cells. Therefore, salinity was found to induce the antioxidative defense system of N. muscorum.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.118-123
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• 1991

Potentially dangerous nitrosamines have been shown to result from the reaction of sodium nitrogusside with several drugs under physiological conditions (pH 7.3 and $37^\circ{C})$. In each case the products were identical to those produced upon reaction with nitrous acid at much lower pH values. Reaction rates were shown to reflect a first order dependence on both amine and nitroprusside concentrations and to increase at higher pH values, approximately in proportion to concentrations of unprotonated amine. Fast reactions of sodium nitroprusside with reduced glutathione, cysteine, and ascorbate suppress but do not prevent the conversion of amines into N-nitrosamines. These results show sodium nitroprusside to be very potent nitrosating agent under physiological conditions and suggested nitrosamines may be formed during its normal pharmacological administration.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1156-1168
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• 2020

Drought stress is threatening the growth and productivity of many economical crops. Therefore, it is necessary to establish innovative and efficient approaches for improving crop growth and productivity. Here we investigated the potentials of the cell-free extract of Actinobacteria (Ac) isolated from a semi-arid habitat (Al-Jouf region, Saudi Arabia) to recover the reduction in maize growth and improve the physiological stress tolerance induced by drought. Three Ac isolates were screened for production of secondary metabolites, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The isolate Ac3 revealed the highest levels of flavonoids, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in addition to having abilities to produce siderophores and phytohormones. Based on seed germination experiment, the selected bioactive fraction of Ac3 cell-free extract (F2.7, containing mainly isoquercetin), increased the growth and photosynthesis rate under drought stress. Moreover, F2.7 application significantly alleviated drought stress-induced increases in H₂O₂, lipid peroxidation (MDA) and protein oxidation (protein carbonyls). It also increased total antioxidant power and molecular antioxidant levels (total ascorbate, glutathione and tocopherols). F2.7 improved the primary metabolism of stressed maize plants; for example, it increased in several individuals of soluble carbohydrates, organic acids, amino acids, and fatty acids. Interestingly, to reduce stress impact, F2.7 accumulated some compatible solutes including total soluble sugars, sucrose and proline. Hence, this comprehensive assessment recommends the potentials of actinobacterial cell-free extract as an alternative ecofriendly approach to improve crop growth and quality under water deficit conditions.