The potential physiological implications of polygalacturonic acid-mediated production of superoxide

Apple pectin-derived oligosaccharides produce carbon dioxide radical anion in Fenton reaction and prevent growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

Pectin is the main soluble fiber in apples or citruses. It may be fermented by gut microbiota to metabolites showing local intestinal and systemic effects. A wide range of beneficial effects of dietary pectin includes impacts on the redox milieu and microbiota profile. We prepared pectin-derived oligosaccharides (apple (APDO) and citrus) and polygalacturonic acid-derived oligosaccharides, using alkaline hydrolysis by hydrogen peroxide, and analyzed them by Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometry. Furthermore, we analyzed the effects of pectin-derived oligosaccharides on hydroxyl radical (HO)-generating Fenton reaction using electron paramagnetic resonance spin-trapping spectroscopy, and the effects on the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in the presence of dietary-relevant HO-generating system (iron+ascorbate). The oligosaccharides react with HO radical to produce carbon dioxide radical anion (CO₂^-). A comparative analysis showed that APDO has the most prominent bacteriostatic effect. This might be at least partially related to the higher capacity of APDO to produce CO₂^-, which specifically targets proteins and appears to have a longer lifetime and larger diffusion radius in biological systems compared to HO.

Gene Mining for Proline Based Signaling Proteins in Cell Wall of Arabidopsis thaliana

The cell wall (CW) as a first line of defense against biotic and abiotic stresses is of primary importance in plant biology. The proteins associated with cell walls play a significant role in determining a plant's sustainability to adverse environmental conditions. In this work, the genes encoding cell wall proteins (CWPs) in Arabidopsis were identified and functionally classified using geneMANIA and GENEVESTIGATOR with published microarrays data. This yielded 1605 genes, out of which 58 genes encoded proline-rich proteins (PRPs) and glycine-rich proteins (GRPs). Here, we have focused on the cellular compartmentalization, biological processes, and molecular functioning of proline-rich CWPs along with their expression at different plant developmental stages. The mined genes were categorized into five classes on the basis of the type of PRPs encoded in the cell wall of Arabidopsis thaliana. We review the domain structure and function of each class of protein, many with respect to the developmental stages of the plant. We have then used networks, hierarchical clustering and correlations to analyze co-expression, co-localization, genetic, and physical interactions and shared protein domains of these PRPs. This has given us further insight into these functionally important CWPs and identified a number of potentially new cell-wall related proteins in A. thaliana.

Converting low dose radiation to redox signaling

In contrast to the damaging effects of high doses, low dose radiation (UV, gamma) has been reported to provoke constructive changes in plants. However, the mechanisms by which plants recognize and respond to low dose radiation are not understood. We have shown recently that polygalacturonic acid, cell wall polysaccharide, converts the highly reactive product of radiation - hydroxyl radical into superoxide which may be further dismutated to hydrogen peroxide. Superoxide has been proposed to act as a signaling molecule, while hydrogen peroxide is known to be the key species in redox signaling cascades which are involved in the regulation of various physiological processes. Hence we propose that polygalacturonic acid may operate as radiation-signaling convertor. The outlined principles of radiation-sensing could also be valid for mammalian cells, with some other molecules mediating the conversion.