Effect of Patulin from Penicillium vulpinum on the Activity of Glutathione-S-Transferase and Selected Antioxidative Enzymes in Maize

Antifungal triazoles affect key non-target metabolic pathways in Solanum lycopersicum L. plants

Several 1,2,4-triazoles are widely used as systemic fungicides in agriculture because they inhibit fungal 14ɑ-demethylase. However, they can also act on many non-target plant enzymes, thereby affecting phytohormonal balance, free amino acid content, and adaptation to stress. In this study, tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. 'Cherrola') were exposed to penconazole, tebuconazole, or their combination, either by foliar spraying or soil drenching, every week, as an ecotoxicological model. All triazole-exposed plants showed a higher content (1.7-8.8 ×) of total free amino acids than the control, especially free glutamine and asparagine were increased most likely in relation to the increase in active cytokinin metabolites 15 days after the first application. Conversely, the Trp content decreased in comparison with control (0.2-0.7 ×), suggesting depletion by auxin biosynthesis. Both triazole application methods slightly affected the antioxidant system (antioxidant enzyme activity, antioxidant capacity, and phenolic content) in tomato leaves. These results indicated that the tomato plants adapted to triazoles over time. Therefore, increasing the abscisic and chlorogenic acid content in triazole-exposed plants may promote resistance to abiotic stress.

Triazoles as a Potential Threat to the Nutritional Quality of Tomato Fruits

Triazole fungicides can threaten plants as abiotic stressors but can also positively affect plant defense by inducing priming. Thus, plant yield is also both protected and endangered by triazoles that may influence several metabolic pathways during maturation processes, such as the biosynthesis of saccharides or secondary metabolites. Here, Solanum lycopersicum L. plants were exposed to foliar and soil applications of penconazole, tebuconazole, or their combination, and their resulting effect on tomato fruits was followed. The exposure to the equimolar mixture of both triazoles influenced the representation of free proteinogenic amino acids, especially Gln, Glu, Gly, Ile, Lys, Ser and Pro, saccharide content, and led to a significant increase in the contents of total phenolics and flavonoids as well as positive stimulation of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system. Among the identified secondary metabolites, the most abundant was naringenin, followed by chlorogenic acid in tomato peel. In turn, all triazole-treated groups showed a significantly lower content of rosmarinic acid in comparison with the control. Foliar application of penconazole affected the fruit more than other single triazole applications, showing a significant decrease in antioxidant capacity, the total content of secondary metabolites, and the activities of total membrane-bound peroxidases and ascorbate peroxidase.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Mycotoxin Production During Postharvest Decay and Their Influence on Tritrophic Host-Pathogen-Microbe Interactions

Mycotoxins are a prevalent problem for stored fruits, grains, and vegetables. Alternariol, aflatoxin, and patulin, produced by Alternaria spp., Aspergillus spp., and Penicillium spp., are the major mycotoxins that negatively affect human and animal health and reduce fruit and produce quality. Control strategies for these toxins are varied, but one method that is increasing in interest is through host microbiome manipulation, mirroring a biocontrol approach. While the majority of mycotoxins and other secondary metabolites (SM) produced by fungi impact host–fungal interactions, there is also an interplay between the various organisms within the host microbiome. In addition to SMs, these interactions involve compounds such as signaling molecules, plant defense and growth hormones, and metabolites produced by both the plants and microbial community. Therefore, studies to understand the impact of the various toxins impacting the beneficial and harmful microorganisms that reside within the microbiome is warranted, and could lead to identification of safe analogs for antimicrobial activity to reduce fruit decay. Additionally, exploring the composition of the microbial carposphere of host plants is likely to shed light on developing a microbial consortium to maintain quality during storage and abate mycotoxin contamination.

Effects of Substrate-Binding Site Residues on the Biochemical Properties of a Tau Class Glutathione S-Transferase from Oryza sativa

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs)—an especially plant-specific tau class of GSTs—are key enzymes involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses. To improve the stress resistance of crops via the genetic modification of GSTs, we predicted the amino acids present in the GSH binding site (G-site) and hydrophobic substrate-binding site (H-site) of OsGSTU17, a tau class GST in rice. We then examined the enzyme activity, substrate specificity, enzyme kinetics and thermodynamic stability of the mutant enzymes. Our results showed that the hydrogen bonds between Lys42, Val56, Glu68, and Ser69 of the G-site and glutathione were essential for enzyme activity and thermal stability. The hydrophobic side chains of amino acids of the H-site contributed to enzyme activity toward 4-nitrobenzyl chloride but had an inhibitory effect on enzyme activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and cumene hydroperoxide. Different amino acids of the H-site had different effects on enzyme activity toward a different substrate, 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole. Moreover, Leu112 and Phe162 were found to inhibit the catalytic efficiency of OsGSTU17 to 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole, while Pro16, Leu112, and Trp165 contributed to structural stability. The results of this research enhance the understanding of the relationship between the structure and function of tau class GSTs to improve the abiotic stress resistance of crops.

Reactive oxygen species, antioxidant enzyme activity, and gene expression patterns in a pair of nearly isogenic lines of nicosulfuron-exposed waxy maize (Zea mays L.)

Nicosulfuron is a post-emergence herbicide used for weed control in maize fields (Zea mays L.). Here, the pair of nearly isogenic inbred lines SN509-R (nicosulfuron resistant) and SN509-S (nicosulfuron sensitive) was used to study the effect of nicosulfuron on growth, oxidative stress, and the activity and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes in waxy maize seedlings. Nicosulfuron treatment was applied at the five-leaf stage and water treatment was used as control. After nicosulfuron treatment, the death of SN509-S might be associated with increased oxidative stress. Compared with SN509-R, higher O₂^·- and H₂O₂ accumulations were observed in SN509-S, which can severely damage lipids and proteins, thus reducing membrane stability. The effects were exacerbated with extended exposure time. Both O₂^·- and H₂O₂ detoxification is regulated by enzymes. After nicosulfuron treatment, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) of SN509-S were significantly lower than those of SN509-R. Compared to SN509-R, ascorbate content (AA), glutathione (GSH) content, GSH to glutathione disulfide ratios, and AA to dehydroascorbate ratios significantly declined with increasing exposure time in SN509-S. Compared to SN509-S, nicosulfuron treatment increased the transcript levels of most of the APX genes except for APX1, and in contrast to Gst1, upregulated the transcription of sod9, MDHAR, DHAR, and GR genes in SN509-R. These results suggest that on a transcription level and in accordance with their responses, detoxifying enzymes play a vital role in the O₂^·- and H₂O₂ detoxification of maize seedlings under nicosulfuron exposure.