Nitric oxide turnover and the strategy of physiological adaptation of plants to low oxygen stress

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My research program aims to establish the mechanisms of nitric oxide (NO) production and scavenging and the functional role of NO metabolism in plants in their adaptation to low oxygen stress taking place widespread during flooding and causing significant losses of agricultural production. Flooding leads to oxygen deprivation in roots, so the maintenance of metabolic activity in plants under stress is essential for their survival. The current project is targeted to define the physiological role of hypoxically produced NO in the regulation of primary metabolism and signal transduction in conditions of low oxygen taking place upon flooding, during seed germination and in fast-growing tissues. The investigation will provide new insights into the metabolic adjustments associated with the controlled use of carbohydrates and ATP during hypoxic survival and the potential use of nitrite as an alternative electron acceptor in mitochondria. The suggested research program aims to establish novel roles of NO turnover in regulating redox and energy levels in stressed plant cells and to determine the importance of defense mechanisms related to efficient NO scavenging in regulating gene expression and maintaining genome stability. The cross-talk between reactive nitrogen species (RNS) such as NO and nitrosoglutathione and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that include, in particular, superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide will be investigated from the point of view of induction of the mechanisms supporting beneficial scavenging and utilization of these toxic compounds for plant survival. The proposed research will have expected significance in establishing NO metabolism as an alternative to classic fermentation pathways, its importance in the maintenance of cell redox status and in governing morphogenetic events which include programmed cell death, aerenchyma formation, and growth of adventitious roots. The practical value of this study consists in developing the strategies of coping with negative consequences of anaerobic events in plants and in regulation of seed germination. Nitric oxide metabolism represents a new potential target for long-range improvement of resistance to stress in plants.