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Title: Endomembrane Ca2+ -ATPases play significant role in virus-induced adaptation to oxidative stress

Author
item SHABALA, S - University Of Tasmania
item BAEKGAARD, L - University Of Copenhagen
item SHABALA, LANA - University Of Tasmania
item FUGLSANG, ANJA - University Of Copenhagen
item CUIN, TRACEY - University Of Tasmania
item Nemchinov, Lev
item PALMGREN, MICHALE - University Of Tasmania

Submitted to: Plant Signaling and Behavior
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/28/2011
Publication Date: 7/1/2011
Citation: Shabala, S.N., Baekgaard, L., Shabala, L., Fuglsang, A.T., Cuin, T.A., Nemchinov, L.G., Palmgren, M.G. 2011. Endomembrane Ca2+ -ATPases play significant role in virus-induced adaptation to oxidative stress. Plant Signaling and Behavior. 6(7):1053-1056.

Interpretive Summary: Exposure to one stress can make plants more tolerant to something else at the same time. We showed that virus-infected tobacco plants were better adapted to short wave ultraviolet irradiation as compared to non-infected plants. We think that virus infection may trigger common defence mechanisms that could protect against unrelated stress. This study may lead to the development of novel strategies to protect plants against complex environmental stress conditions. These findings will benefit plant pathologists, agronomists and plant researchers in general by providing valuable information on the adverse effects of different environmental factors that limit plant productivity.

Technical Abstract: In our recently published paper (Plant Cell Environ 34: 406-417) we have reported a phenomenon of Potato Virus X (PVX) - induced cross tolerance to oxidative stress in Nicotiana benthamiana plants and showed a critical role of plasma membrane Ca2+/H+ exchangers in this process. The current study follows up this research and elucidates the role of endomembrane Ca2+-ATPases in virus-induced tolerance and plant adaptive responses to oxidative stress. Using a series of biochemical (Western blot and CaM overlay) and electrophysiological assays we show that both endomembrane P2A and P2B Ca2+-ATPases play significant role in plant adaptive responses to oxidative stress by removing an excessive Ca2+ from the cytosol, and that their functional expression is significantly altered in PVX-infected plants. These findings highlight the crucial role of Ca2+ efflux systems in acquired tolerance to oxidative stress and opens up prospects for practical applications in agriculture. Undoubtedly, however, that adaptation to abiotic stress caused by plant viruses, as reported in this study, requires in-depth comprehension of fundamental mechanisms involved in common responses to environmental factors at genomic, cellular and organismal levels.