Try or Die: Dynamics of Plant Respiration and How to Survive Low Oxygen Conditions

Abstract

Fluctuations in oxygen (O2) availability occur as a result of flooding, which is periodically encountered by terrestrial plants. Plant respiration and mitochondrial energy generation rely on O2 availability. Therefore, decreased O2 concentrations severely affect mitochondrial function. Low O2 concentrations (hypoxia) induce cellular stress due to decreased ATP production, depletion of energy reserves and accumulation of metabolic intermediates. In addition, the transition from low to high O2 in combination with light changes—as experienced during re-oxygenation—leads to the excess formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this review, we will update our current knowledge about the mechanisms enabling plants to adapt to low-O2 environments, and how to survive re-oxygenation. New insights into the role of mitochondrial retrograde signaling, chromatin modification, as well as moonlighting proteins and mitochondrial alternative electron transport pathways (and their contribution to low O2 tolerance and survival of re-oxygenation), are presented.

The diversity of substrates for plant respiration and how to optimize their use

“…GABA is then transported in mitochondria via GABA permease (GABP) where GABA shunt enzymes make succinate to enter the TCA cycle and produce NADH ( Michaeli et al, 2011 ; Figure 4 ). The GABA shunt is activated in a wide range of plant stresses including starvation, salinity, and hypoxia ( Rolletschek et al, 2011 ; António et al, 2016 ; Wang et al, 2017 ; Che-Othman et al, 2020 ; Jethva et al, 2022 ). Under conditions of limited carbon supply, the gabp mutant displayed growth abnormalities and ∼20% decrease in CO 2 evolution compared with that in wild-type plants following incubation in labeled GABA ( Michaeli et al, 2011 ).…”

Metabolism and Signaling of Plant Mitochondria in Adaptation to Environmental Stresses

“…Together with AOXs, NDs were hypothesized to be important in plant adaptation to hypoxia [ 76 ], although experimental evidence for this is currently lacking. The transcript levels of NDA1 and NDA2 are not responsive to hypoxia, but NDA2 is upregulated in dark-submerged plants ( Figure 2 ).…”

Tobacco Plant (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Tolerance Towards Waterlogging Stress on Various Calcium Fertilizer Application

“…Meningkatnya senyawa H 2 O 2 yang terinduksi karena kondisi cekaman abiotik dapat menyebabkan kerusakan fungsi sel pada tanaman (Luan et al, 2018). Penambahan kalsium sebagai Ca 2+ eksogen mampu mengaktivasi beberapa enzim serta meregulasi gen untuk meningkatkan adaptasi pada sel tanaman sehingga dapat menekan keberadaan H 2 O 2 (Jethva et al, 2022).…”