Abstract
The response to Reactive Electrophile Species (RES) is considered as part of the plant response to pathogen and insect attacks. In plants, RES conjugation to GSH is facile and non-specific. The variety of RES leading to the same response suggests that the conjugation reaction it self and not a peculiar signalling compound is the key step in the induction of the response. In cryptogein-elicited tobacco leaves, oxylipin RES adducts to GSH are produced in correlation with GSH consumption, increase in glutathione-S-transferase activity and the appearance of the cell death symptoms. The adducts arise from the downstream 13 lipoxygenase (LOX) metabolism and the main products are obtained from 2-hexenal and 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid, supporting the role of RES in signalling. The nature of these GSH conjugates shows the key role played by the 13 LOX pathway in the RES signalling of the tobacco HR.
