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Generation of free radicals in germinating Norway spruce. Differences in the effect of two different phenolic compounds*
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 December 2011
Synopsis
We have studied the defences of Norway spruce seeds against pollutants during germination, using two different phenolic compounds, 5-OH-1,4-naphthoquinone (5-OH-NQ)3 and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T).
Only small effects of 5-OH-NQ on germination of seeds were observed at concentrations up to 200 μM, which could be explained by the formation of a less reactive metabolite of 5-OH-NQ. These results suggest that Norway spruce seeds have a very effective defence system against quinone and quinonederived reactive oxygen species.
The effect of 2,4,5-T on seed germination was, however, more pronounced, resulting in an abnormal growth of the seedlings. This behaviour was probably due to a strong increase in ethylene production (10-fold) in these seedlings. Also fatty acyl-CoA oxidase activity, a peroxisomal enzyme of β-oxidation that catalyses the formation of H2O2, was found to increase 6.9-fold in seedlings germinated in presence of 2,4,5-T. A strong decrease in the activity of photosystem II and an increase in lipid peroxidation in chloroplasts was also observed.
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- Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1994
Footnotes
The results presented in this paper have been published in part in Plant Physiology 100, 1955–1961 (1992) by Segura-Aguilar, J., Hakman, I. & Rydström, J. In addition, a manuscript entitled ‘Effect of 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy acetic acid on germinating Norway spruce’ by Segura-Aguilar, J., Hakman, I. & Rydström, J. has been submitted for publication.