V. Velikova et al., Oxidative stress and some antioxidant systems in acid rain-treated bean plants - Protective role of exogenous polyamines, PLANT SCI, 151(1), 2000, pp. 59-66
The effect of simulated acid rain (AR) (pH 1.8) on H2O2 and malonyldialdehy
de (MDA) levels and activities of peroxidase and catalase in bean plants we
re investigated. The influence of exogenous polyamines spermidine and sperm
ine on these parameters was also studied. AR treatment induced lipid peroxi
dation and increased level of H2O2 in leaves. Pretreatment with spermidine
and spermine prevented these changes. The protective effect of spermine was
higher than that of spermidine. The impact of polyamines could be attribut
ed to their acid neutralizing and antioxidant effects, as well as to their
ability to stabilize membranes by associating with negatively charged phosp
holipids. It was also found that AR significantly increased peroxidase and
decreased catalase activities at the first hours after treatment. Later, bo
th enzyme activities were enhanced that could contribute to the scavenging
and detoxification of active oxygen species. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier
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