Glutathione in Plant Growth, Development, and Stress Tolerance

Glutathione (γ-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine) is a ubiquitously distributed sulfurcontaining antioxidant molecule that plays key roles in the regulation of plant growth, development, and abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. It is one of the most powerful low-molecular-weight thiols, which rapidly accumulates in plant cells under stress. Recent in-depth studies on glutathione homeostasis (biosynthesis, degradation, compartmentalization, transport, and redox turnover) and the roles of glutathione in cell proliferation and environmental stress tolerance have provided new insights for plant biologists to conduct research aimed at deciphering the mechanisms associated with glutathione-mediated plant growth and stress responses, as well as to develop stress-tolerant crop plants. Glutathione has also been suggested to be a potential regulator of epigenetic modifications, playing important roles in the regulation of genes involved in the responses of plants to changing environments. The dynamic relationship between reduced glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been well documented, and glutathione has been shown to participate in several cell signaling and metabolic processes, involving the synthesis of protein, the transport of amino acids, DNA repair, the control of cell division, and programmed cell death. Two genes, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GSH1) and glutathione synthetase (GSH2), are involved in GSH synthesis, and genetic manipulation of these genes can modulate cellular glutathione levels. Any fluctuations in cellular GSH and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels have profound effects on plant growth and development, as glutathione is associated with the regulation of the cell cycle, redox signaling, enzymatic activities, defense gene expression, systemic acquired resistance, xenobiotic detoxification, and biological nitrogen fixation. Being a major constituent of the glyoxalase system and ascorbate-glutathione cycle, GSH helps to control multiple abiotic and biotic stress signaling pathways through the regulation of ROS and methylglyoxal (MG) levels. In addition, glutathione metabolism has the potential to be genetically or biochemically manipulated to develop stress-tolerant and nutritionally improved crop plants. Although significant progress has been made in investigating the multiple roles of glutathione in abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, many aspects of glutathione-mediated stress responses require additional research. The main objective of this volume is to explore the diverse roles of glutathione in plants by providing basic, comprehensive, and in-depth molecular information for advanced students, scholars, teachers, and scientists interested in or already engaged in research that involves glutathione. Finally, this book will be a valuable resource for future glutathione-related research and can be considered as a textbook for graduate students and as a reference book for frontline researchers working on glutathione metabolism in relation to plant growth, development, stress responses, and stress tolerance. "Glutathione (γ-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine; GSH), a ubiquitously distributed sulfur containing antioxidant molecule, serves as a crucial player in regulating plant growth, development and abiotic stress tolerance. It is one of the most powerful low-molecular weight thiols and rapidly accumulates in plant and animal cells under stress. Recent in-depth studies on GSH homeostasis (synthesis, degradation, compartmentation, transport, and redox turnover) and the role of GSH in cell proliferation and abiotic stress tolerance have created opportunities for plant biologists to conduct research aimed at deciphering mechanisms associated with GSH-mediated plant growth and stress responses. GSH has also been proposed as a potential regulator of epigenetic gene regulation and so GSH might play important roles in the environmental regulation of gene expression in plants. The dynamic relationship between GSH and reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been well documented and GSH has been shown to participate in numerous metabolic and cell signaling processes, including protein synthesis and amino acid transport, DNA repair, and the control of cell division and programmed cell death. Two genes, glutamylcysteine synthetase (GSH1) and glutathione synthetase (GSH2), are involved in GSH synthesis, and genetic manipulation of these enzymes interferes with cellular levels of GSH. Any fluctuations, an increase or decrease, in cellular GSH and oxidized GSH levels has profound effects on plant growth and development, as GSH is associated with the regulation of the cell cycle, redox signaling, enzymatic activities, defense gene expression, systemic acquired resistance and xenobiotic detoxification. Being a major component of ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) and glyoxalase (Gly) pathways, GSH helps to govern the level of plant oxidative stress by modulating ROS and methylglyoxal (MG) detoxification in plants. Although there has been significant progress made investigating the multiple roles of GSH in abiotic stress tolerance, many aspects of GSH-mediated abiotic stress responses and stress tolerance require additional research if GSH metabolism is to be manipulated to help develop abiotic stress-tolerant and nutritionally improved crop plants. This book will provide information the roles of GSH in plants that are directly or indirectly involved in many important metabolic processes and physiological functions, including GSH synthesis, compartmentation and transport, GSH-mediated ROS and MG detoxification, as well as GSH signaling functions in modulating plant growth, development and responses to abiotic stresses. The main objective of this volume is to promote the important role of GSH in plant biology by supplying basic, comprehensive and up to date information for advanced students, scholars and scientists interested in or already engaged in research that involves GSH. Finally, this book will be a valuable resource for future GSH-related research, and can be considered as a textbook for graduate students and as a reference book for front-line researchers working on the relationships between GSH and abiotic stress responses and toleranc e." – Prové de l'editor Annotation Glutathione ( -glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine) is a ubiquitously distributed sulfurcontaining antioxidant molecule that plays key roles in the regulation of plant growth, development, and abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. It is one of the most powerful low-molecular-weight thiols, which rapidly accumulates in plant cells under stress. Recent in-depth studies on glutathione homeostasis (biosynthesis, degradation, compartmentalization, transport, and redox turnover) and the roles of glutathione in cell proliferation and environmental stress tolerance have provided new insights for plant biologists to conduct research aimed at deciphering the mechanisms associated with glutathione-mediated plant growth and stress responses, as well as to develop stress-tolerant crop plants. Glutathione has also been suggested to be a potential regulator of epigenetic modifications, playing important roles in the regulation of genes involved in the responses of plants to changing environments. The dynamic relationship between reduced glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been well documented, and glutathione has been shown to participate in several cell signaling and metabolic processes, involving the synthesis of protein, the transport of amino acids, DNA repair, the control of cell division, and programmed cell death. Two genes, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GSH1) and glutathione synthetase (GSH2), are involved in GSH synthesis, and genetic manipulation of these genes can modulate cellular glutathione levels. Any fluctuations in cellular GSH and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels have profound effects on plant growth and development, as glutathione is associated with the regulation of the cell cycle, redox signaling, enzymatic activities, defense gene expression, systemic acquired resistance, xenobiotic detoxification, and biological nitrogen fixation. Being a major constituent of the glyoxalase system and ascorbate-glutathione cycle, GSH helps to control multiple abiotic and biotic stress signaling pathways through the regulation of ROS and methylglyoxal (MG) levels. In addition, glutathione metabolism has the potential to be genetically or biochemically manipulated to develop stress-tolerant and nutritionally improved crop plants. Although significant progress has been made in investigating the multiple roles of glutathione in abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, many aspects of glutathione-mediated stress responses require additional research. The main objective of this volume is to explore the diverse roles of glutathione in plants by providing basic, comprehensive, and in-depth molecular information for advanced students, scholars, teachers, and scientists interested in or already engaged in research that involves glutathione. Finally, this book will be a valuable resource for future glutathione-related research and can be considered as a textbook for graduate students and as a reference book for frontline researchers working on glutathione metabolism in relation to plant growth, development, stress responses, and stress tolerance Front Matter ....Pages i-xii Chemistry, Biosynthesis, and Antioxidative Function of Glutathione in Plants (Wilma Sabetta, Annalisa Paradiso, Costantino Paciolla, Maria Concetta de Pinto)....Pages 1-27 Synthesis and Roles of Glutathione and Homoglutathione in the Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiosis (Eric Boncompagni, Geneviève Alloing, Karine Mandon, Pierre Frendo)....Pages 29-58 Involvement of Thiol-Based Mechanisms in Plant Growth, Development, and Stress Tolerance (Marta Gietler, Małgorzata Nykiel)....Pages 59-98 Plant Glutathione Peroxidases: Structural and Functional Characterization, Their Roles in Plant Development (Krisztina Bela, Sajid Ali Khan Bangash, Jolán Csiszár)....Pages 99-111 Plant Glutathione Peroxidases: Antioxidant Enzymes in Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance (Krisztina Bela, Sajid Ali Khan Bangash, Riyazuddin, Jolán Csiszár)....Pages 113-126 Glutathione as a Key Player in Plant Abiotic Stress Responses and Tolerance (Vittoria Locato, Sara Cimini, Laura De Gara)....Pages 127-145 The Regulatory and Signaling Roles of Glutathione in Modulating Abiotic Stress Responses and Tolerance (Wang Chen, Leng Xiangpeng, Zhang Wenying, Fang Jinggui)....Pages 147-169 Exogenous Glutathione-Mediated Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants (Fangbin Cao, Manman Fu, Runfeng Wang, Pedro Diaz-Vivancos, Mohammad Anwar Hossain)....Pages 171-194 Structure, Evolution and Functional Roles of Plant Glutathione Transferases (Evangelia Chronopoulou, Farid S. Ataya, Fotini Pouliou, Fereniki Perperopoulou, Nikolaos Georgakis, Irini Nianiou-Obeidat et al.)....Pages 195-213 Plant Glutathione Transferases in Abiotic Stress Response and Herbicide Resistance (Evangelia Chronopoulou, Nikolaos Georgakis, Irini Nianiou-Obeidat, Panagiotis Madesis, Fereniki Perperopoulou, Fotini Pouliou et al.)....Pages 215-233 Glyoxalase System: A Glutathione-Dependent Pathway for Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants (Rituraj Batth, Muskan Jain, Sumita Kumari, Ananda Mustafiz)....Pages 235-263 Glutathione Reductase and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants (Vokkaliga T. Harshavardhan, Tsung-Meng Wu, Chwan-Yang Hong)....Pages 265-286 Sulfur Assimilation and Glutathione Metabolism in Plants (Akiko Maruyama-Nakashita, Naoko Ohkama-Ohtsu)....Pages 287-308 Glutathione-Mediated Biotic Stress Tolerance in Plants (J. A. Hernández, G. Barba-Espín, P. Diaz-Vivancos)....Pages 309-329 The Signaling Roles of Glutathione in Plant Disease Resistance (Gábor Gullner, Bernd Zechmann, András Künstler, Lóránt Király)....Pages 331-357 Glutathione Transporters in Plants (Xuan Zeng, Diyang Qiu, Rui Hu, Mingyong Zhang)....Pages 359-372 Importance of Glutathione in the Legume-Rhizobia Symbiosis (Eliana Bianucci, Ana Furlan, Stella Castro)....Pages 373-396 Transgenic Plants Over-expressing Glutathione Biosynthetic Genes and Abiotic Stress Tolerance (Ahmed Gaber, David J. Burritt, Mohammad Anwar Hossain)....Pages 397-412 Back Matter ....Pages 413-421