MYB134-RNAi poplar plants show reduced tannin synthesis in leaves but not roots, and increased susceptibility to oxidative stress

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (20) ◽  
pp. 6601-6611
Author(s):  
Geraldine Gourlay ◽  
Dawei Ma ◽  
Axel Schmidt ◽  
C Peter Constabel

Abstract The importance of the poplar MYB134 gene in controlling condensed tannin (CT) biosynthesis was tested by suppressing its expression using RNA interference (RNAi). MYB134-RNAi plants grew normally but showed reduced accumulation of stress-induced CTs in leaves. RNA-seq analysis indicated that flavonoid- and CT-related genes, as well as additional CT regulators, were strongly and specifically down-regulated by MYB134 suppression. This confirmed that the primary MYB134 target is the leaf flavonoid and CT pathway. Root CT accumulation was not impacted by MYB suppression, suggesting that additional CT regulators are active in roots and emphasizing the complexity of the regulation of CTs in poplar. To test the effect of CT down-regulation on oxidative stress resistance, leaves of MYB134-RNAi and control plants were exposed to the reactive oxygen species generator methyl viologen. MYB134-RNAi leaves sustained significantly more photosystem II damage, as seen in reduced chlorophyll fluorescence, compared with wild-type leaves. MYB134-RNAi leaves also contained more hydrogen peroxide, a reactive oxygen species, compared with the wild type. Our data thus corroborate the hypothesis that CT can act as an antioxidant in vivo and protect against oxidative stress. Overall, MYB134 was shown to be a central player in the regulation of CT synthesis in leaves.

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (18) ◽  
pp. 3582-3590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alawiah Alhebshi ◽  
Theodora C. Sideri ◽  
Sara L. Holland ◽  
Simon V. Avery

Oxidative stress mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is linked to degenerative conditions in humans and damage to an array of cellular components. However, it is unclear which molecular target(s) may be the primary “Achilles’ heel” of organisms, accounting for the inhibitory action of ROS. Rli1p (ABCE1) is an essential and highly conserved protein of eukaryotes and archaea that requires notoriously ROS-labile cofactors (Fe-S clusters) for its functions in protein synthesis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that ROS toxicity is caused by Rli1p dysfunction. In addition to being essential, Rli1p activity (in nuclear ribosomal-subunit export) was shown to be impaired by mild oxidative stress in yeast. Furthermore, prooxidant resistance was decreased by RLI1 repression and increased by RLI1 overexpression. This Rlip1 dependency was abolished during anaerobicity and accentuated in cells expressing a FeS cluster–defective Rli1p construct. The protein's FeS clusters appeared ROS labile during in vitro incubations, but less so in vivo. Instead, it was primarily55FeS-cluster supply to Rli1p that was defective in prooxidant-exposed cells. The data indicate that, owing to its essential nature but dependency on ROS-labile FeS clusters, Rli1p function is a primary target of ROS action. Such insight could help inform new approaches for combating oxidative stress–related disease.


Haematologica ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
Angelo D’Alessandro ◽  
Ariel Hay ◽  
Monika Dzieciatkowska ◽  
Benjamin C. Brown ◽  
Evan J Morrison ◽  
...  

Red blood cells have the special challenge of a large amount of reactive oxygen species (from their substantial iron load and Fenton reactions) combined with the inability to synthesize new gene products. Considerable progress has been made in elucidating the multiple pathways by which red blood cells neutralize reactive oxygen species via NADPH driven redox reactions. However, far less is known about how red blood cells repair the inevitable damage that does occur when reactive oxygen species break through anti-oxidant defenses. When structural and functional proteins become oxidized, the only remedy available to red blood cells is direct repair of the damaged molecules, as red blood cells cannot synthesize new proteins. Amongst the most common amino acid targets of oxidative damage is the conversion of asparagine and aspartate side chains into a succinimidyl group through deamidation or dehydration, respectively. Red blood cells express an L-Isoaspartyl methyltransferase (PIMT, gene name PCMT1) that can convert succinimidyl groups back to an aspartate. Herein, we report that deletion of PCMT1 significantly alters red blood cell metabolism in a healthy state, but does not impair the circulatory lifespan of red blood cells. Through a combination of genetic ablation, bone marrow transplantation and oxidant stimulation with phenylhydrazine in vivo or blood storage ex vivo, we use omics approaches to show that, when animals are exposed to oxidative stress, red blood cells from PCMT1 knockout undergo significant metabolic reprogramming and increased hemolysis. This is the first report of an essential role of PCMT1 for normal RBC circulation during oxidative stress.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Natelle C H Quek

<p>Natural products offer vast structural and chemical diversity highly sought after in drug discovery research. Saccharomyces cerevisiae makes an ideal model eukaryotic organism for drug mode-of-action studies owing to ease of growth, sophistication of genetic tools and overall homology to higher eukaryotes. Equisetin and a closely related novel natural product, TA-289, are cytotoxic to fermenting yeast, but seemingly less so when yeast actively respire. Cell cycle analyses by flow cytometry revealed a cell cycle block at S-G2/M phase caused by TA-289; previously described oxidative stress-inducing compounds causing cell cycle delay led to further investigation in the involvement of equisetin and TA-289 in mitochondrial-mediated generation of reactive oxygen species. Chemical genomic profiling involving genome-wide scans of yeast deletion mutant strains for TA-289 sensitivity revealed sensitization of genes involved in the mitochondria, DNA damage repair and oxidative stress responses, consistent with a possible mechanism-of-action at the mitochondrion. Flow cytometric detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation caused by TA-289 suggests that the compound may induce cell death via ROS production. The generation of a mutant strain resistant to TA-289 also displayed resistance to a known oxidant, H2O2, at concentrations that were cytotoxic to wild-type cells. The resistant mutant displayed a higher basal level of ROS production compared to the wild-type parent, indicating that the resistance mutation led to an up-regulation of antioxidant capacity which provides cell survival in the presence of TA-289. Yeast mitochondrial morphology was visualized by confocal light microscopy, where it was observed that cells treated with TA-289 displayed abnormal mitochondria phenotypes, further indicating that the compound is acting primarily at the mitochondrion. Similar effects observed with equisetin treatment suggest that both compounds share the same mechanism, eliciting cell death via ROS production in the mitochondrial respiratory chain.</p>


Function ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Troia ◽  
Russell H Knutsen ◽  
Carmen M Halabi ◽  
Daniela Malide ◽  
Zu Xi Yu ◽  
...  

Abstract Elastin insufficiency leads to the cardiovascular hallmarks of the contiguous gene deletion disorder, Williams-Beuren syndrome, including hypertension and vascular stiffness. Previous studies showed that Williams-Beuren syndrome deletions that extended to include the NCF1 gene were associated with lower blood pressure and reduced vascular stiffness. NCF1 encodes for p47phox, the regulatory component of the NOX1 NADPH oxidase complex, that generates reactive oxygen species in the vascular wall. Dihydroethidium and 8-hydroxyguanosine staining of mouse aortas confirmed that Eln heterozygotes (Eln+/-) had greater reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels than wild types (Eln+/+), a finding that was negated in vessels cultured without hemodynamic stressors. To analyze the Nox effect on elastin insufficiency, we utilized both genetic and chemical manipulations. Both Ncf1 haploinsufficiency (Ncf1+/-) and Nox1 insufficiency (Nox1-/y) decreased oxidative stress and systolic blood pressure in Eln+/- without modifying vascular structure. Chronic treatment with apocynin, a p47phox inhibitor, lowered systolic blood pressure in Eln+/-, but had no impact on Eln+/+ controls. In vivo dosing with phenylephrine produced an augmented blood pressure response in Eln+/- relative to Eln+/+, and genetic modifications or drug-based interventions that lower Nox1 expression reduce the hypercontractile response to phenylephrine in Eln+/- mice to Eln+/+ levels. These results indicate that the mechanical and structural differences caused by elastin insufficiency leading to oscillatory flow can perpetuate oxidative stress conditions which are linked to hypertension, and that by lowering the Nox1-mediated capacity for vascular ROS production, blood pressure differences can be normalized.


Author(s):  
Mariachiara Buccarelli ◽  
Quintino Giorgio D’Alessandris ◽  
Paola Matarrese ◽  
Cristiana Mollinari ◽  
Michele Signore ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults, characterized by a poor prognosis mainly due to recurrence and therapeutic resistance. It has been widely demonstrated that glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs), a subpopulation of tumor cells endowed with stem-like properties is responsible for tumor maintenance and progression. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that GSCs contribute to GBM-associated neovascularization processes, through different mechanisms including the transdifferentiation into GSC-derived endothelial cells (GdECs). Methods In order to identify druggable cancer-related pathways in GBM, we assessed the effect of a selection of 349 compounds on both GSCs and GdECs and we selected elesclomol (STA-4783) as the most effective agent in inducing cell death on both GSC and GdEC lines tested. Results Elesclomol has been already described to be a potent oxidative stress inducer. In depth investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying GSC and GdEC response to elesclomol, confirmed that this compound induces a strong increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both GSCs and GdECs ultimately leading to a non-apoptotic copper-dependent cell death. Moreover, combined in vitro treatment with elesclomol and the alkylating agent temozolomide (TMZ) enhanced the cytotoxicity compared to TMZ alone. Finally, we used our experimental model of mouse brain xenografts to test the combination of elesclomol and TMZ and confirmed their efficacy in vivo. Conclusions Our results support further evaluation of therapeutics targeting oxidative stress such as elesclomol with the aim of satisfying the high unmet medical need in the management of GBM.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Gandhi ◽  
Andrey Y. Abramov

Biological tissues require oxygen to meet their energetic demands. However, the consumption of oxygen also results in the generation of free radicals that may have damaging effects on cells. The brain is particularly vulnerable to the effects of reactive oxygen species due to its high demand for oxygen, and its abundance of highly peroxidisable substrates. Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance in the redox state of the cell, either by overproduction of reactive oxygen species, or by dysfunction of the antioxidant systems. Oxidative stress has been detected in a range of neurodegenerative disease, and emerging evidence from in vitro and in vivo disease models suggests that oxidative stress may play a role in disease pathogenesis. However, the promise of antioxidants as novel therapies for neurodegenerative diseases has not been borne out in clinical studies. In this review, we critically assess the hypothesis that oxidative stress is a crucial player in common neurodegenerative disease and discuss the source of free radicals in such diseases. Furthermore, we examine the issues surrounding the failure to translate this hypothesis into an effective clinical treatment.


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