Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Significance of Glutathione Metabolism in Plants Under Stress

  • Chapter
Progress in Botany

Part of the book series: Progress in Botany/Fortschritte der Botanik ((BOTANY,volume 55))

Abstract

In higher plants the tripeptide glutathione (GSH; γ-glu-cys-gly) and its homologs homoglutathione (hGSH; γ-glu-cys-β-ala) and hydroxymethylglutathione (γ-glu-cys-ser) are generally thought to be the most abundant low molecular weight thiols (Kasai and Larsen 1980; Bergmann and Rennenberg 1993). As products of the plant’s primary metabolism, these compounds have received considerable attention during recent years, because they are not only involved in storage and distribution of reduced sulfur within the plant, and hence in the regulation of sulfur nutrition, but are also essential components of the plant’s defence system for environmental stress (Fig. 1).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Asada K, Takahashi M (1987) Production and scavenging of active oxygen in photosynthesis. In: Kyle D, Osmond C, Amtzen C (eds) Photoinhibition. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 227–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergmann L, Rennenberg H (1993) Glutathione metabolism in plants. In: De Kok LJ, Stulen I, Rennenberg H, Brunold C, Rauser W (eds) Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants. SPB, The Hague, p 109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunold C (1990) Reduction of sulfate to sulfide. In: Rennenberg H, Brunold C, De Kok L, Stulen I (eds) Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants. SPB, The Hague, p 13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunold C (1993) Regulatory interactions between sulfate and nitrate assimilation. In: De Kok LJ, Stulen I, Rennenberg H, Brunold C, Rauser W (eds) Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants. SPB, The Hague, p 61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Choudhary AD, Lamb CJ, Dixon RA (1990) Stress responses in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Plant Physiol 94:1802–1807.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Conrath U, Domard A, Kauss H (1989) Chitosan-elicited synthesis of callose and of coumarin derivatives in parsley cell suspension cultures. Plant Cell Rep 8:152–155.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dean JV, Gronwald JW, Anderson MP (1991) Glutathione-S-transferase activity in nontreated and CGA-154281-treated maize shoots. Z Naturforsch 46c:850–855.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Knecht JA, Koevoets PLM, Verkleij JAC, Emst WHO (1992) Evidence against a role for phytochelatins in naturally selected increased cadmium tolerance in Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke. New Phytol 122:681–688.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Vos CHR, Vonk MJ, Vooijs R, Schat H (1992) Glutathione depletion due to copper-induced phy- tochelatin synthesis causes oxidative stress in Silene cucubalus. Plant Physiol 98:853–858.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dron M, Clouse SD, Dixon RA, Lawton MA, Lamb CJ (1988) Glutathione and fungal elicitor regulation of a plant defense gene promoter in electroporated protoplasts. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85:6738–6742.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dudler R, Hertig C, Rebmann G, Bull J, Mauch F (1991) A pathogen-induced wheat gene encodes a protein homologous to glutathione-S-transferase. Mol Plant-Microbe Inter 4:14–18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards R, Blount JW, Dixon RA (1991) Glutathione and elicitation of the phytoalexin response in legume cell cultures. Planta 184:403–409.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst WHO, Verkleij JAC, Schat H (1992) Metal tolerance in plants. Acta Bot Neerl 41:229–248.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frankhauser H, Brunold C (1978) Localization of adenosine 5-phosphosulfate sulfotransferase in spinach leaves. Planta 143:285–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farago S, Brunold C (1990) Regulation of assimilatory sulfate reduciton by herbicide safeners in Zea mays L. Plant Physiol 94:1808–1812.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fuerst EP, Lamoureux GL (1992) Mode of action of the dichloroacetamide antidote BAS 145–138 in com. 2. Effects on metabolism, absorption, and mobility of metazachlor. Pestic Biochem Physiol 42:78–87.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galli U, Meier M, Brunold C (1993) Assimilatory sulfate reduction of cadmium treated non-my- corrhizal and mycorrhizal Norway spruce seedlings (Picea abies) and its ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria laccata. New Phytol (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Grill E, Löffler S, Winnacker E-L, Zenk MH (1989) Phytochelatins, the heavy-metal-binding peptides of plants, are synthesized from glutathione by a specificy-glutamylcysteine dipeptidyl transpeptidase (phytochelatin synthase). Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86:6838–6842.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grill E, Winnacker E-L, Zenk MH (1990) Phytochelatins, the heavy metal chelating peptides of the plant kingdom. In: Rennenberg H, Brunold C, De Kok LJ, Stulen I (eds) Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants. SPB, The Hague, p 89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta SC, Golds- brough PB (1991) Phytochelatin accumulation and cadmium tolerance in selected tomato cell lines. Plant Physiol 97:306–312.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han S, Hatzios KK (1991) Effects of the herbicide pretilachlor and the safener fenclorim on glutathione content and glutathione-dependent enzyme activity of rice. Z Naturforsch 46c:861–865.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hatzios KK (1989) Development of herbicide safeners: industrial and university perspectives. In: Hatzios KK, Hoagland RE (eds) Crop safeners for herbicides. Academic Press, San Diego, p 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi Y, Nakagawa CW, Mutoh N, Isobe M, Goto T (1991 Two pathways in the biosynthesis of cadystins (yEC)nG in the cell-free system of the fission yeast. Biochem Cell Biol 69:115–121.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hell R, Bergmann L (1990) y-Glutamylcysteine synthetase in higher plants: catalytic properties and subcellular localization. Planta 180:603–612.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Howden R, Cobbett CS (1992) Cadmium-sensitive mutants ofArabidopsis thaliana. Plant Physiol 99:100–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jablonkai I, Hatzios KK (1991) Role of glutathione and glutathione S-transferase in the selectivity of acetochlor in maize and wheat. Pestic Biochem Physiol 41:221–231.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson PJ, Kuske CR (1993) Glutathione-derived metal-binding polypeptides and metallothioneins. In: Iron chelation in plants and soil microorganisms. Academic Press, San Diego, p 157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson PJ, Delhaize E, Kuske CR (1992) Biosynthesis and metabolic roles of cadystins (y-EC)nG and their precursors in Datura innoxia. Plant Soil 146:281–289.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kasai T, Larsen PO (1980) Chemistry and biochemistry of y-glutamyl derivatives from plants including mushrooms (Basidiomycetes). In: Herz W, Grisebach H, Kirby GW (eds) Progress in the chemistry of organic products. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 173–285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klapheck S (1988) Homoglutathione: isolation, quantification and occurrence in legumes. Physiol Plant 74:727–732.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kneer R, Zenk MH (1992) Phytochelatins protect plant enzymes from heavy metal poisoning. Phytochemistry 31:2663–2667.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Komives T, Dutka F (1989) Effects of herbicide safe- ners on levels and activity of cytochrome P-450 and other enzymes of com. In: Hatzios KK, Hoagland RG (eds) Crop safeners for herbicides. Academic Press, San Diego, p 129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kreuz K, Gaudin J, Ebert E (1989) Effects of the safeners CGA 154281, oxabetrinil and fenclorim on uptake and degradation of metolachlor in com(Zea mays L.) seedlings. Weed Res 29:399–405.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kunkel DL, Steffens JC, Bellinder RR (1991) Effect of temperature and safeners on glutathione levels and glutathione S-transferase activity in maize. Z Naturforsch 46c:856–860.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamoureux GL, Rusness DG (1989) The role of glutathione and glutathione S-transferases in pesticide metabolism, selectivity, and mode of action in plants and insects. In: Dolphin D, Poulson R, Avramovic O (eds) Glutathione: chemical, biochemical, and medical aspects. Part B. John Wiley & Sons, New York, p 153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamoureux GL, Rusness DG (1992) The mechanism of action of BAS 145 138 as a safener for chlorium ethyl in com: effect of hydroxylation, glutathione conjugation, glucoside conjugation, and acetolactate synthase. Pestic Biochem Physiol 42:128–139.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamoureux GL, Rusness DG (1993) Glutathione in the metabolism and detoxification of xenobiotics in plants. In: De Kok LJ, Stulen I, Rennenberg H, Brunold C, Rauser W (eds) Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants. SPB, The Hague, p 221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawton MA, Lamb CJ (1987) Transcriptional activation of plant defense genes by fungal elicitor, wounding and infection. Mol Cell Biol 7:335–341.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lawton AM, Clouse SD, Lamb CJ (1990) Glutathione-elicited changes in chromatin structure within the promoter of the defense gene chalcone synthase. Plant Cell Rep 8:561–564.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lay MM, Casida JE (1976) Dichloracetamide antidotes enhance thiocarbamate sulfoxide content and glutathione S-transferase activity. Pestic Biochem Physiol 6:442.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li J, Schiff JA (1992) Adenosine 5’-phosphosulfate sulfotransferase from Euglena: enzyme-bound intermediates. Plant Cell Physiol 33:63–72.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martinoia E, Grill E, Tommasini R, Kreuz K, Amrhein N (1993) An ATP-dependent glutathione S-conjugate “export” pump in the vacuolar membrane of plants. Nature 364:247–249.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meister A (1981) On the cycles of glutathione metabolism and transport. In: Estabrook RW, Srere P (eds) Biological cycles. Current topics in cellular regulation, vol 18. Academic Press, New York, pp 21–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meister A, Anderson ME (1983) Glutathione. Annu Rev Biochem 52:711–760.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meuwly P, Rauser E (1992) Alteration of thiol pools in roots and shoots of maize seedlings exposed to cadmium. Plant Physiol 99:8–15.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murasugi A, Wada C, Hayashi Y (1983) Occurrence of acid-labile sulfide in cadmium-binding peptide 1 from fission yeast. J Biochem 93:661–664.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum S, Schmutz D, Brunold C (1988) Regulation of assimilatory sulfate reduction by cadmium in Zea mays L. Plant Physiol 88:1407–1410.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ortiz DF, Kreppel L, Speiser DM, Scheel G, McDonald G, Ow DW (1992) Heavy metal tolerance in the fission yeast requires transporter. EMBO J 11:3491–3499.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Picket CG, Lu AYH (1989) Glutathione-S-transferases: gene structure, regulation and biological function. Annu Rev Biochem 58:743–764.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polle A, Rennenberg H (1992) Field studies on Norway spruce trees at high altitudes. II. Defense systems against oxidative stress in needles. New Phytol 121:635–642.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Polle A, Rennenberg H (1993a) The significance of antioxidants in plant adaptation ot environmental stress. In: Mansfield T, Fowden L, Stoddard F (eds) Plant adaptation to environmental stress. Chapman and Hall, London, p 263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Polle A, Rennenberg H (1993b) Photooxidative stress in trees. In: Foyer C, Mullineaux P (eds) Photooxidative stresses on plants: causes and amelioration. CRC, Boca Raton (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Polle A, Chakrabarti K, Schürmann W, Rennenberg H (1990) Composition and properties of hydrogen peroxide decomposing systems in extracellular and total extracts from needles of Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) Plant Physiol 94:312–319.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rauser WE (1991) Phytochelatins. Annu Rev Biochem 59:61–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rauser WE (1991) Cadmium- binding peptides from plants. Methods Enzymol 205:319–333.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rauser WE (1993) Metal-binding peptides in plants. In: De Kok LJ, Stulen I, Rennenberg H, Brunold C, Rauser W (eds) Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants. SBP, The Hague (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Reese RN, Winge DR (1988) Sulfide stabilization of cadmium y-glutamyl peptide complex of Schizosaccharomyces pombe. J Biol Chem 263:12832–12835.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reese RN, White CA, Winge DR (1992) Cadmium-sulfide crystallites in Cd-(yEC)nG peptide complexes from tomato. Plant Physiol 98:225–229.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rennenberg H, Lamoureux GL (1990) Physiological processes that modulate the concentration of glutathione in plant cells. In: Rennenberg H, Brunold C, De Kok LJ, Stulen I (eds) Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants. Fundamental environmental and agricultural aspects. SPB, The Hague, pp 53–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robbins MP, Hartnoll J, Morris P (1991) Phenylpropanoid defence responses in transgenicLotus corniculatus 1. Glutathione elicitation of isoflavan phytoalexins in transformed root cultures. Plant Cell Rep 10:59–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson NJ (1990) Metal binding polypeptides in plants. In: Shaw AJ (ed) Heavy metal tolerance in plants. CRC, Boca Raton, p 195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers KR, Albert F, Anderson AJ (1988) Lipid peroxidation is a consequence of elicitor activity. Plant Physiol 86:547–553.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Römer S, d’Harlingue A, Camara B, Schantz R, Kuntz M (1992) Cysteine synthase from Capsicum annuum chromoplasts. Characterization and cDNA cloning of an up-regulated enzyme during fruit development. J Biol Chem 267:17966–17970.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rüegsegger A, Brunold C (1992)Effect of cadmium in y-glutamylcysteine synthesis in maize seedlings. Plant Physiol 99:428–433.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riiegsegger A, Brunold C (1993) Localization of y-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase activity in maize seedlings. Plant Physiol 101:561–566.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riiegsegger A, Schmutz D, Brunold C (1990) Regulation of glutathione synthesis by cadmium in Pisum sativum L. Plant Physiol 93:1579–1584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scarponi L, Perucci P, Martinetti L (1991) Conjugation of 2-chloroacetanilide herbicides with glutathione: Role of molecular structures and of glutathione S-transferase enzymes. J Agric Food Chem 39:2010–2013.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schat H, Kalff MMA (1992) Are phytochelatins involved in differential metal tolerance or do they merely reflect metal-imposed strain? Plant Physiol 99:1475–1480.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schiff JA, Stem AI, Saida T, Li J (1993) Some molecular aspects of sulfate metabolism in photosynthetic organisms. In: De Kok LJ, Stulen I, Rennenberg H, Bmnold C, Rauser W (eds) Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants. SBP, The Hague, p 21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt A (1992) Open questions about sulfur metabolism in plants. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 43:325–349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schupp R, Rennenberg H (1988) Diurnal changes in the glutathione content of spruce needles (Picea abies L.). Plant Sci 57:113–117.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schupp R, Rennenberg (1992) Changes in sulfur metabolism during needle development of Norway spruce. Bot Acta 105:180–189.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schupp R, Glavac V, Rennenberg H (1991) Thiol composition of xylem sap of beech trees. Phytochemistry 30:1415–1418.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schupp R, Schatten T, Willenbrink J, Rennenberg H (1992) Long-distance transport of reduced sulphur in spruce (Picea abies L.). J Exp Bot 41:631–644.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith IK, Polle A, Rennenberg H (1990) Glutathione. In: Alscher R, Cunning I (eds) Stress responses in plants: adaptation and acclimation mechanisms. Wiley-Liss, New York, pp 201–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Speiser DM, Abrahamson SL, Banuelos G, Ow DW (1992) Brassica juncea produces a phytochelatin-cadmium-sulfide complex. Plant Physiol 99:817–821.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steffens JC (1990) The heavy metal-binding peptides of plants. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 41:553–575.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steffens JC, Hunt DF, Williams BG (1986) Accumulation of nonprotein metal-binding polypeptides (y-glutamyl-cysteinyl)n-glycine in selected cadmium-resi- stent tomato cells. J Biol Chem 261:13879–13882.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thumann J, Grill E, Winnacker E-L, Zenk MH (1991) Reactivation of metal-requiring apoenzy- mes by phytochelatin-metal complexes. FEBS Lett 284:66–69.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomsett AB, Thurman DA (1988) Molecular biology of metal tolerances of plants. Plant Cell Environ 11:383–394.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tuckendorf A, Rauser WE (1990) Changes in glutathione and phytochelatins in roots of maize seedlings exposed to cadmium. Plant Sci 70:155–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verkleij JAC, Koevoets P, Van’t Riet J, Bank R, Nijdam Y, Ernst WHO (1990) Poly(y-gluta- mylcysteinyl) glycines or phytochelatins and their role in cadmium tolerance ofSilene vulgaris. Plant Cell Environ 13:913–921.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Viger PR, Eberlein CV, Fuerst EP, Gronwald JW (1991) Effects of GCA-154281 and temperature on metolachlor absorption and metabolism, glutathione content, and glutathione-S-transferase activity in com (Zea mays). Weed Sci 39:324–328.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vogeli-Lange R, Wagner GJ (1990) Subcellular localization of cadmium and cadmium-binding peptides in tobacco leaves. Plant Physiol 92:1086–1093.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner GJ (1993) Accumulation of cadmium in crop plants and its consequences to human health. Adv Agron (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wingate VPM, Lawton MA, Lamb CJ (1988) Glutathione causes a massive and selective induction of plant defense genes. Plant Physiol 87:206–210.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamada T, Hashimoto H, Shiraishi T, Oku H (1989) Suppression of pisatin, phenylalanine ammo- nia-lyase mRNA and chalcone synthase mRNA accumulation by a putative pathogenicity factor from the fungusMycosphaerella pinodes. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 2:256–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeargan R, Maiti IB, Nielsen MT, Hunt AG, Wagner GJ (1992) Tissue partitioning of cadmium in transgenic tobacco seedlings and field grown plants expressing the mouse metallothionein I gene. Transgen Res 1:261–267.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Forstbotanik und Baumphysiologie, Professur für Baumphysiologie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Am Flughafen 17, D-79085, Freiburg i. Br., Germany

    Professor Dr. Heinz Rennenberg

  2. Pflanzenphysiologisches Institut, Universität Bern, Altenbergrain 21, CH-3013, Bern, Switzerland

    Professor Dr. Christian Brunold

Authors
  1. Professor Dr. Heinz Rennenberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Professor Dr. Christian Brunold
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Heidelberg, Germany

    H.-Dietmar Behnke

  2. Darmstadt, Germany

    Ulrich Lüttge

  3. Bochum, Germany

    Karl Esser

  4. Mainz, Germany

    Joachim W. Kadereit

  5. Göttingen, Germany

    Michael Runge

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Rennenberg, H., Brunold, C. (1994). Significance of Glutathione Metabolism in Plants Under Stress. In: Behnke, HD., Lüttge, U., Esser, K., Kadereit, J.W., Runge, M. (eds) Progress in Botany. Progress in Botany/Fortschritte der Botanik, vol 55. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78568-9_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78568-9_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-78570-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-78568-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation