The apoplastic polyamine oxidase (PAO) catalyzes the oxidation of the higher polyamines spermidine and spermine, contributing to hydrogen peroxide (HO) accumulation. However, it is yet unclear whether apoplastic PAO is part of a network that coordinates the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under salinity or if it acts independently. Here, we unravel that NADPH oxidase and apoplastic PAO cooperate to control the accumulation of HO and superoxides (O) in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). To examine to what extent apoplastic PAO constitutes part of a ROS-generating network, we examined ROS accumulation in guard cells of plants overexpressing or down-regulating apoplastic PAO (lines S2.2 and A2, respectively) or down-regulating NADPH oxidase (line AS-NtRbohD/F). The HO-specific probe benzene sulfonyl-HO showed that, under salinity, HO increased in S2.2 and decreased in A2 compared with the wild type. Surprisingly, the O-specific probe benzene sulfonyl-So showed that O levels correlated positively with that of apoplastic PAO (i.e. showed high and low levels in S2.2 and A2, respectively). By using AS-NtRbohD/F lines and a pharmacological approach, we could show that HO and O accumulation at the onset of salinity stress was dependent on NADPH oxidase, indicating that NADPH oxidase is upstream of apoplastic PAO. Our results suggest that NADPH oxidase and the apoplastic PAO form a feed-forward ROS amplification loop, which impinges on oxidative state and culminates in the execution of programmed cell death. We propose that the PAO/NADPH oxidase loop is a central hub in the plethora of responses controlling salt stress tolerance, with potential functions extending beyond stress tolerance.

Homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the intracellular compartments is of critical importance as ROS have been linked with nearly all cellular processes and more importantly with diseases and aging. PAs are nitrogenous molecules with an evolutionary conserved role in the regulation of metabolic and energetic status of cells. Recent evidence also suggests that polyamines (PA) are major regulators of ROS homeostasis. In Arabidopsis the backconversion of the PAs spermidine (Spd) and spermine to putrescine and Spd, respectively, is catalyzed by two peroxisomal PA oxidases (AtPAO). However, the physiological role of this pathway remains largely elusive. Here we explore the role of peroxisomal PA backconversion and in particular that catalyzed by the highly expressed AtPAO3 in the regulation of ROS homeostasis and mitochondrial respiratory burst. Exogenous PAs exert an NADPH-oxidase dependent stimulation of oxygen consumption, with Spd exerting the strongest effect. This increase is attenuated by treatment with the NADPH-oxidase blocker diphenyleneiodonium iodide (DPI). Loss-of-function of AtPAO3 gene results to increased NADPH-oxidase-dependent production of superoxide anions (O2•− ), but not H2O2, which activate the mitochondrial alternative oxidase pathway (AOX). On the contrary, overexpression of AtPAO3 results to an increased but balanced production of both H2O2 and O2•− . These results suggest that the ratio of O2•− /H2O2 regulates respiratory chain in mitochondria, with PA-dependent production of O2•− by NADPH-oxidase tilting the balance of electron transfer chain in favor of the AOX pathway. In addition, AtPAO3 seems to be an important component in the regulating module of ROS homeostasis, while a conserved role for PA backconversion and ROS across kingdoms is discussed.

Polyamines (PAs) are nitrogenous molecules that are indispensable for cell viability and with an agreed-on role in the modulation of stress responses. Tobacco plants with downregulated SAMDC (AS-SAMDC) exhibit reduced PAs synthesis but normal levels of PA catabolism. We used AS-SAMDC to increase our understanding on the role of PAs in stress responses. Surprisingly, at control conditions AS-SAMDC plants showed increased biomass and altered developmental characteristics, such as increased height and leaf number. On the contrary, during salt stress AS-SAMDC plants showed reduced vigor when compared to the WT. During salt stress, the AS-SAMDC plants although showing compensatory readjustments of the antioxidant machinery and of photosynthetic apparatus, they failed to sustain their vigor. AS-SAMDC sensitivity was accompanied by inability to effectively control H2O2 levels and concentrations of monovalent and divalent cations. In accordance with these findings, we suggest that PAs may regulate the trade-off between growth and tolerance responses.

Recent results have identified mitochondria as centers of stress-induced generation of reactive oxygen species in plants. Depolarization of plant mitochondrial membrane during stress results the release of programmed cell death (PCD)-inducing factors in the cytosol in a fashion similar to the onset of animal-like PCD. Herein, we report significant similarities of animal-like PCD and salinity stress-induced plant PCD. Short-term salinity stress (3 h) led to depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, release of cytochrome c (CYT-c), which was visualized using a contemporary molecular technique, activation of caspase-3 type proteases and the onset of PCD in wild type tobacco plants, Nicotiana tabacum cv. Petit Havana. However, PCD was not manifested during long-term salinity stress (24 h). Interestingly long-term salinity stress led to necrotic-like features, which were accompanied by collapse of respiration, reduction of key components of the respiratory chain, such as CYT-c and alternative oxidase, ATP depletion and high proteolytic activity. The results suggest that salinity stress of tobacco plants in planta leads to the onset of animal-like PCD only during the early stages post-stress, while long-term stress leads to necrotic-like features.

Hydrogen is a highly promising energy source with important social and economic implications. The ability of green algae to produce photosynthetic hydrogen under anaerobic conditions has been known for years. However, until today the yield of production has been very low, limiting an industrial scale use. In the present paper, 73 years after the first report on H2-production from green algae, we present a combinational biological system where the biodegradation procedure of one meta-substituted dichlorophenol (m-dcp) is the key element for maintaining continuous and high rate H2-production (>100 times higher than previously reported) in chloroplasts and mitochondria of the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus. In particular, we report that reduced m-dcps (biodegradation intermediates) mimic endogenous electron and proton carriers in chloroplasts and mitochondria, inhibit Photosystem II (PSII) activity (and therefore O2 production) and enhance Photosystem I (PSI) and hydrogenase activity. In addition, we show that there are some indications for hydrogen production from sources other than chloroplasts in Scenedesmus obliquus. The regulation of these multistage and highly evolved redox pathways leads to high yields of hydrogen production and paves the way for an efficient application to industrial scale use, utilizing simple energy sources and one meta-substituted dichlorophenol as regulating elements.