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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Genomics and Bioinformatics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #427175
Research Project: Integrative Applied Agricultural Genomics and Bioinformatics Research

Location: Genomics and Bioinformatics Research

Title: Overexpression of SIMK in menadione-treated alfalfa enhances antioxidant machinery and leads to oxidative stress resistance

Author
item SOJKA, JIRI - Palacky University
item TAKAC, TOMAS - Palacky University
item HLAVACKOVA, KATERINA - Palacky University
item MELICHER, PAVOL - Palacky University
item OVECKA, MIROSLAV - Palacky University
item PECHAN, TIBOR - Mississippi State University
item SAMAJ, JOZEF - Palacky University

Submitted to: Plant Stress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2024
Publication Date: 12/1/2024
Citation: Sojka, J., Takac, T., Hlavackova, K., Melicher, P., Ovecka, M., Pechan, T., Samaj, J. 2024. Overexpression of SIMK in menadione-treated alfalfa enhances antioxidant machinery and leads to oxidative stress resistance. Plant Stress. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2024.100608.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2024.100608

Interpretive Summary: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a valuable forage and human nutrition crop. To investigate how alfalfa responds to reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during stressful situations, we studied the behavior of STRESS-INDUCED MAPK (SIMK) protein in response to menadione, a compound inducing ROS generation. Our results reveal a complex nature of plant stress response and suggest a new role of SIMK in the alfalfa resistance to menadione-induced oxidative stress.

Technical Abstract: Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) transduce stress and developmental signals related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a valuable forage and human nutrition crop, however, the involvement of MAPKs in plant resistance to oxidative stress is poorly understood in this species. Therefore, we elucidated the role of STRESS-INDUCED MAPK (SIMK) in alfalfa response to menadione, a compound inducing ROS generation, exploiting transgenic alfalfa lines with contrasting SIMK abundance. SIMK was activated by short-term menadione treatment and relocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Proteomic analysis revealed that menadione caused changes in the abundance of proteins involved in metabolism, oxidative stress, biotic stress response, detoxification of carbonyl species, glutathione homeostasis, chloroplast protein turnover, photosynthesis, and membrane trafficking. Genetic manipulations of SIMK altered the abundance of proteins involved in mitochondrial and chloroplast protein import and processing, as well as GLUTATHIONE S-TRANSFERASES (GSTs). Increased GST abundance and activity in roots, and modifications in mitochondrial and chloroplast protein turnover might be responsible for the elevated oxidative stress resistance of alfalfa line overexpressing SIMK. This was supported by the reduced ROS levels in this line. These results reveal a complex nature of plant stress response and suggest a new role of SIMK in the alfalfa resistance to menadione-induced oxidative stress.