Ascorbic Acid in Plant Growth, Development and Stress Tolerance

Mohammad Anwar Hossain, Sergi Munné-Bosch, David J. Burritt, Pedro Diaz-Vivancos, Masayuki Fujita, Argelia Lorence

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9783319740560
• eBook ISBN:
  9783319740577
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Nutrition, Dietics & Bariatrics
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Ascorbic acid (AsA), vitamin C, is one of the most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in plants and animals. In plants AsA serves as a major redox buffer and regulates various physiological processes controlling growth, development, and stress tolerance. Recent studies on AsA homeostasis have broadened our understanding of these physiological events. At the mechanistic level, AsA has been shown to participate in numerous metabolic and cell signaling processes, and the dynamic relationship between AsA and reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been well documented. Being a major component of the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, AsA helps to modulate oxidative stress in plants by controlling ROS detoxification alone and in co-operation with glutathione. In contrast to the single pathway responsible for AsA biosynthesis in animals, plants utilize multiple pathways to synthesize AsA, perhaps reflecting the importance of this molecule to plant health. Any fluctuations, increases or decreases, in cellular AsA levels can have profound effects on plant growth and development, as AsA is associated with the regulation of the cell cycle, redox signaling, enzyme function and defense gene expression. Although there has been significant progress made investigating the multiple roles AsA plays in stress tolerance, many aspects of AsA-mediated physiological responses require additional research if AsA metabolism is to be manipulated to enhance stress-tolerance. This book summarizes the roles of AsA that are directly or indirectly involved in the metabolic processes and physiological functions of plants. Key topics include AsA biosynthesis and metabolism, compartmentation and transport, AsA-mediated ROS detoxification, as well as AsA signaling functions in plant growth, development and responses to environmental stresses. The main objective of this volume is therefore to supply comprehensive and up-to-date information for students, scholars and scientists interested in or currentlyengaged in AsA research.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Front Matter
• Chemistry and Metabolism of Ascorbic Acid in Plants
• The Role of Ascorbate in Plant Growth and Development
• Ascorbate as a Key Player in Plant Abiotic Stress Response and Tolerance
• Ascorbate Peroxidases: Crucial Roles of Antioxidant Enzymes in Plant Stress Responses
• Molecular and Functional Characterization of Monodehydro-ascorbate and Dehydroascorbate Reductases
• Regulation of Ascorbic Acid Biosynthesis in Plants
• Ascorbate-Glutathione Cycle and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants
• Ascorbate-Glutathione Cycle and Biotic Stress Tolerance in Plants
• Exogenous Ascorbic Acid Mediated Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants
• The Role of Ascorbic Acid in Plant–Pathogen Interactions
• Ascorbate Oxidase in Plant Growth, Development, and Stress Tolerance
• AsA/DHA Redox Pair Influencing Plant Growth and Stress Tolerance
• The Role of Plant High-Throughput Phenotyping in the Characterization of the Response of High Ascorbate Plants to Abiotic Stresses
• Physiological Role of Ascorbic Acid Recycling Enzymes in Plants
• Ascorbic Acid Biofortification in Crops
• Evolution of the Metabolic Network Leading to Ascorbate Synthesis and Degradation Using Marchantia polymorpha as a Model System
• Ascorbic Acid in Processed Plant-Based Foods
• Ascorbate Metabolism and Nitrogen Fixation in Legumes
• Importance of Vitamin C in Human Health and Disease
• Back Matter