Integrated free radical/nitric oxide analyzer

RTI拨款提案旨在购买集成自由基/一氧化氮分析仪，该分析仪采用电化学（安培）原理检测氧化还原反应物质，具有高精度和灵敏度。它涉及申请人的发现资助奖（2003-2008，植物生物学和食品科学），题为“通过诱导抗性和延迟成熟来保存新鲜水果和蔬菜的光化学预防疗法”。申请人的采后生物学研究计划旨在建立采后组织在激素剂量的紫外线照射下诱导抗性和延迟衰老反应的生理基础（激素效应是指低水平的应激源刺激有益的反应，而这些反应是有害的）。从实用的角度来看，它旨在有效地开发紫外线激效的潜力，作为保鲜新鲜水果和蔬菜的实用手段。我们的开创性工作表明，激素紫外线处理不仅在产品中建立抗病能力，而且还延迟成熟。为了使紫外线处理成为保鲜果蔬的一种实用手段，需要对紫外线诱导的抗病和延迟成熟的生物学现象有一个基本的了解。本研究的一个主要方面是了解紫外线处理后组织中发生的分子事件。一些信号分子包括氧化还原信号（H2O2和NO）和激素信号水杨酸、茉莉酸、ABA、乙烯和Ca2+都参与了植物对非生物和生物胁迫的调节；它们在将外部信号转化为细胞反应方面很重要。因此，本研究涉及到氧化应激强度的表征和氧化还原信号（H2O2和NO）谱的确定。综合自由基/一氧化氮分析仪将是我们研究各种应力和它们之间相互作用的有价值的工作工具。它允许我们在给定样品中同时测定H2O2， NO和氧气。对所提议的设备的随时访问将提高生产率和我们的研究进展。

The proposal for a RTI grant is intended to purchase an Integrated Free Radical / Nitric Oxide Analyzer, which employs electrochemical (amperometric) principle for detection of redox-reactive species with high accuracy and sensitivity. It relates to the applicant's Discovery grant award (2003-2008, Plant Biology and Food Science), entitled "Photochemical preventive therapy for the preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables by induced resistance and delayed ripening". The applicant's research program in postharvest biology aims at establishing the physiological basis of induced resistance and delayed senescence responses of the postharvest tissue by hormic doses of UV radiation (hormesis is the stimulation of beneficial responses by low levels of stressors which are otherwise harmful). From a practical standpoint, it aims at exploiting the potential of UV-hormesis effectively as a practical means of preservation for fresh fruits and vegetables. Our pioneering work has shown that hormic UV treatment not only builds disease resistance in the produce but also delays ripening. To develop UV treatment as a practical means of fresh fruits and vegetables preservation, a fundamental understanding of the biological phenomena of UV-induced disease resistance and delayed ripening is required. A major aspect of this research is to gain an understanding of the molecular events that occur in the tissue following UV treatment. Several signal molecules including redox signals (H2O2 and NO), and hormonal signals salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, ABA, ethylene and Ca2+ have been implicated in the modulation of plant responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses; and they are important in converting external signals into cellular response. Thus this research involves the characterization of stresses for their oxidative stress intensity and the determination of profiles of redox signals (H2O2 and NO). The Integrated Free Radical / Nitric Oxide Analyzer will be a valuable working tool for our research involving various stresses and interaction between them. It allows us to assay H2O2, NO as well as oxygen simultaneously in a given sample. A ready accessibility to the proposed equipment will improve productivity and progress of our research.