The nucellus is a maternal tissue that feeds the developing embryo and the secondary endosperm. During seed development the cells of the nucellus suffer a degenerative process early after fertilization as the cellular endosperm expands and accumulates reserves. Nucellar cell degeneration has been characterized as a form of developmentally programmed cell death (PCD). In this work we show that nucellus PCD is accompanied by a considerable production of both nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide (NO and H(2)O(2)). Interestingly, each of the two molecules is able to induce the production of the other and to cause cell death when applied to a living nucellus. We show that the induced cell death has features of a PCD, accompanied by profound changes in the morphology of the nuclei and by a massive degradation of nuclear DNA. Moreover, we report that NO and H(2)O(2) cause an induction of caspase-like proteases previously characterized in physiological nucellar PCD. Document Type: Article
Nitric Oxide And Hydrogen Peroxide Involvement During Programmed Cell Death Of Sechium Edule Sw. Nucellus
LOMBARDI, LARA
;CECCARELLI, NELLO;PICCIARELLI, PIERO;SORCE, CARLO;LORENZI, ROBERTO
2010-01-01
Abstract
The nucellus is a maternal tissue that feeds the developing embryo and the secondary endosperm. During seed development the cells of the nucellus suffer a degenerative process early after fertilization as the cellular endosperm expands and accumulates reserves. Nucellar cell degeneration has been characterized as a form of developmentally programmed cell death (PCD). In this work we show that nucellus PCD is accompanied by a considerable production of both nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide (NO and H(2)O(2)). Interestingly, each of the two molecules is able to induce the production of the other and to cause cell death when applied to a living nucellus. We show that the induced cell death has features of a PCD, accompanied by profound changes in the morphology of the nuclei and by a massive degradation of nuclear DNA. Moreover, we report that NO and H(2)O(2) cause an induction of caspase-like proteases previously characterized in physiological nucellar PCD. Document Type: ArticleI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
