Nitric oxide and membrane lipid peroxidation in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic organisms under several stress conditions

GALATRO ANDREA; GONZÁLEZ PAULA M.; MALANGA, G.; ROBELLO ELIZABETH; PILONI NATACHA; PUNTARULO SUSANA

Frontiers in Physiology

Frontiers Edditorial Office

Año: 2013 vol. 276 p. 1 - 3

1664-042X

Nitric oxide (NO) is recognized both as a signaling molecule, that regulates many enzyme activities, and as a Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) responsible for toxic effects. The interaction between Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and RNS plays a key role since superoxide anion (O2−), through the reaction with NO, generates peroxynitrite (ONOO−) at a rate close to diffusion, and ONOO− acts as both a nitrating agent and powerful oxidant capable of modifying proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Based on studies from our laboratory, the purpose of this Commentary is to analyze comparatively in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic organisms under several specific oxidative stress conditions, the multiple effects of NO on the process of lipid peroxidation. NO effect on the following systems will be described: i) photosynthetic systems: soybean chloroplasts and cotyledons exposed to NO donors, sorghum embryos under development, and Chlorella vulgaris cells in culture. ii) non-photosynthetic organisms: digestive glands from molluscs exposed to iron overload and seasonal variations, and brains fetuses from rats exposed to gamma-irradiation. The net result in each system depends on the balance of competing factors. The rate and location of NO formation, and also the rate of formation of O2−, or other mitigating factors, that will all contribute to the degree of lipid oxidation in a particular system.