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JXB Advance Access published online on November 1, 2004
Journal of Experimental Botany, doi:10.1093/jxb/erh262
© 2004 by Oxford University Press
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Received May 21, 2004
Accepted July 23, 2004

RESEARCH PAPER

Localization of ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid oxidase, and glutathione in roots of Cucurbita maxima L

Rosalia Liso 1, Mario C. De Tullio 1, Samantha Ciraci 1, Raffaella Balestrini 2, Nicoletta La Rocca 3, Leonardo Bruno 4, Adriana Chiappetta 4, Maria Beatrice Bitonti 4, Paola Bonfante 2, and Oreste Arrigoni 1*

1 Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Vegetale, Università di Bari, Via E. Orabona 4, I-70125 Bari, Italia
2 Istituto di Protezione delle Piante del CNR-Sezione di Torino, Dipartimentodi Biologia Vegetale dell'Università, Viale Mattioli 25, I-10125 Torino, Italia
3 Dipartimento di Biologia Università di Padova, Via G. Colombo 3, I-35121 Padova, Italia
4 Dipartimento di Ecologia, Università della Calabria, I-87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italia

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Oreste Arrigoni, E-mail: arrigoni{at}botanica.uniba.it


  Abstract

To understand the function of ascorbic acid (ASC) in root development, the distribution of ASC, ASC oxidase, and glutathione (GSH) were investigated in cells and tissues of the root apex of Cucubita maxima. ASC was regularly distributed in the cytosol of almost all root cells, with the exception of quiescent centre (QC) cells. ASC also occurred at the surface of the nuclear membrane and correspondingly in the nucleoli. No ASC could be observed in vacuoles. ASC oxidase was detected by immunolocalization mainly in cell walls and vacuoles. This enzyme was particularly abundant in the QC and in differentiating vascular tissues and was absent in lateral root primordia. Administration of the ASC precursor L-galactono-{gamma}-lactone markedly increased ASC content in all root cells, including the QC. Root treatment with the ASC oxidized product, dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), also increased ASC content, but caused ASC accumulation only in peripheral tissues, where DHA was apparently reduced at the expense of GSH. The different pattern of distribution of ASC in different tissues and cell compartments reflects its possible role in cell metabolism and root morphogenesis.

Keywords: Ascorbic acid; ascorbic acid oxidase; Cucurbita maxima L.; dehydroascorbic acid; glutathione; root development.
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