Recent advances in the study of nitric oxide (NO) biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and physiology in plants are presented in this book, providing an overview of current understanding of the NO actions involved in adaptive responses of plant fitness to environmental constraints. The special emphasis is on NO-dependent signalling, molecular adjustments and targets as key elements in plant growth, development and stress physiology.
The first part of the book is devoted to the description of key features related to NO biochemistry, synthesis and metabolism and the modes of action involved. The second part covers the functionality of NO in three central nodes of the plant life cycle: growth, development and stress physiology. Finally, a detailed analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of fluorometric detection of NO in plant research brings to light information necessary for understanding the limitations of the method.
1 Higher Plant Mitochondria as a Source for NO.- 2 Nitric Oxide -- A Product of Plant Nitrogen Assimilation.- 3 NO-based Signaling in Plants.- 4 S-Nitrosylation in Plants -- Spectrum and Selectivity.- 5 Enzymatic Sources of Nitric Oxide during Seed Germination.- 6 Seeking the Role of NO in Breaking Seed Dormancy.- 7 Nitric Oxide Functions as Intermediate in Auxin, Abscisic Acid and Lipid Signaling Pathways.- 8 Nitric Oxide in Cytokinin and Polyamine Signaling: Similarities and Potential Crosstalk.- 9 Nitric Oxide and Plant Ion Channel Control.- 10 Nitric Oxide in Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiosis.- 11 Nitrosative Stress in Plants: A New Approach to Understand the Role of NO in Abiotic Stress.- 12 Nitric Oxide-Mediated Signaling Functions During the Plant Hypersensitive Response.- 13 Nitric Oxide in Cell-to-Cell Communication Coordinating the Plant Hypersensitive Response.- 14 Mitochondrial Nitric Oxide Synthesis During Plant-Pathogen Interactions: Role of Nitrate Reductase in Providing Substrates.- 15 Nitric Oxide as an Alternative Electron Carrier during Oxygen Deprivation.- 16 Fluorometric Detection of Nitric Oxide with Diaminofluoresceins (DAFs): Applications and Limitations for Plant NO Research.
All authors are the most authoritative and competent scientists in the field of NO as a key player in plant physiological processes. Drs. Delledonne, Durner, Wendehenne and Lamattina have, among others, authored landmark publications in the extraordinary up swelling studies on NO actions in plant biology. Drs. Kaiser and Stohr have an extensive trajectory in the study of N metabolism in plants, and the roles/actions of nitrate reductase/nitrite reductase. Their contributions to understand the origin and functions of NO at both the tissues and the subcellular levels have been remarkable. Drs. Jones, Puntarulo and Konjevic have made extraordinary contributions to decipher the role of endogenous NO, its sources and physiological concentrations in seed germination and dormancy breaking. Drs. Scherer, Blatt and Lamattina have made extensive contributions to our understanding of the cross talk between classical plant hormone actions and NO involvement in their signaling mechanisms. Drs. Delledonne, Corpas, Shapiro, Salgado and Hill, and their colleagues have presented pioneering reports on the involvement of NO in plant responses to diverse (a)biotic stress situations, particularly during the hypersensitive response (HR). Finally, the authoritative contribution of Dr. Yamasaki to integrate aspects of NO generation, metabolism and detection in plants has been an important impetus and has lead to new theories on the role of NO in N, C and S metabolism in plants and in the interaction with the environment.
From the reviews: "A book that brings together a variety of aspects of NO biology in plants is timely. ! The book is very well presented, with a good use of diagrams ! . All the chapters are very well referenced and this will give any reader a fantastic place to start a more in-depth reading of the literature. ! Final-year undergraduates undertaking research or literature projects on NO will find this book of value, as would any postgraduates working in the area ! ." (John T. Hancock, Annals of Botany, Vol. 101 (3), 2008)