OVOC · Leveraging the antioxidant role of volatile isoprenoids for improving grapevine resistance to ozone and temperature stress
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2015-08-01 → 2018-07-31
- EU contribution
- €244,269
- Participants
- 2
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-GF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Leveraging the antioxidant role of volatile isoprenoids for improving grapevine resistance to ozone and temperature stress
Climatic changes are among the most striking phenomena of the present and future period. They are forecasted to lead to rising temperatures and ozone levels, and to an increased occurrence of extreme phenomena such as heat waves. It is therefore of utmost importance the understanding of how plants will react to such abiotic stresses and which phonotypic features are more likely to confer an increased resistance. This is especially relevant for crops such as grapevine, which is the most economically important fruit crop in Europe. In this context, the present project addresses the role of volatile isoprenoids, an important class of secondary metabolites produced by plants. It is believed that isoprenoids may have an antioxidant role in plants. For one isoprenoid, i.e. isoprene, this role has been proved but the underlying mechanism is unknown. There is still lack of knowledge for other isoprenoids. Some crops, grapevine for example, do not emit isoprene but emit other isoprenoids such as monoterpenes. The overall project objectives tackle these questions. First of all, an antioxidant mechanism for isoprene in plants is assessed. Specifically, it investigated if isoprene is oxidized within-plants, thus acting as scavenger of oxidants. Furthermore, the project aims at proving that volatile isoprenoids (likely monoterpenes) have an antioxidant role in grapevine. The present project demonstrated that monoterpenes are related to increased resistance to abiotic stress in grapevine. Therefore, it proved that the role isoprene has in other plants, is played by monoterpenes in grapevine. It also showed that the main underlying mechanism is not direct reaction of isoprenoids with oxidants.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The first aim of the project is to prove a general mechanism for plant protection from abiotic stresses (such as temperature and ozone stress) exerted by volatile isoprenoids (VIPs). Recent studies advanced the hypothesis that VIPs may function as effective antioxidants in plants by directly reacting with reactive oxygen species (ROS) that accumulate upon abiotic stress, producing oxidized VIPs. However, this mechanism is yet to be confirmed. During the outgoing phase (Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA) the objective described above will be addressed via a comprehensive experimental approach that will be carried out on the model plant Arabidopsis (wild-type and isoprene-emitting transgenic Arabidopsis), on a plant species (Quercus rubra) that emits very large quantities of VIPs and on grapevine, a crop of outmost importance in the European economy. During the return phase (FEM, Trento, Italy) the multidisciplinary expertise gained in the outgoing period will be fully employed to study the grapevine germplasm owned by the return institution and new grapevine varieties selected or genetically modified for the emission of specific VIPs, which have recently been developed by a partner research group, in collaboration with the applicant. The final objectives of the project are 1) to prove that VIPs act as effective antioxidant on grapevine leading to an improved ozone stress resistance and 2) to integrate screening for VIP emission in the host institution grapevine breeding program in order to improve stress resistance of new grapevine varieties.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- FONDAZIONE EDMUND MACH · San Michele All'AdigeCoordinatorItaly
- PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE · CambridgeUnited States
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union