Oxidative stress and leaf senescence

Senescence is an important developmental process that leads to the cell death through highly regulated genetically controlled processes in plants. Biotic and abiotic Oxidative stresses can also artificially induce senescence and increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) specifically in chloroplast. One of the important oxidative stresses is paraquat that induces deviation of electron from photosynthesis electron chain and lead to the production of more ROS in chloroplast. Plants have evolved special adoptive mechanism to reallocate nutrient to reproductive and juvenile organs in senescence and different oxidative stresses. Rubisco seems to be the most abundant protein in plants and is involved in many changes during senescence.

In the present study, the effects of ROS on Rubisco during senescence and oxidative stresses were evaluated by measuring photosynthesis factors such as net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (G), evaporation rate (E), intra cellular CO2 concentration (Ci), fluorescence and total protein during three stages of development. Our results showed that in paraquat treated plants, CO2 assimilation is the most effective factor that refers to Rubisco damages. The highest correlation and regression coefficient belonged to Ci, while correlation coefficient between photosynthesis rate and total protein was much smaller.

It appears in the early stage of oxidative stresses such as exposing to paraquat, ROS has the most effect on Rubisco activity that induces more susceptibility to Rubisco specific protease. Moreover, Rubisco deactivation acts as an initiative signal for Rubisco degradation.