Publications by authors named "I V Petrunia"
Methanol (MeOH) is considered to be a poison in humans because of the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)-mediated conversion of MeOH to formaldehyde (FA), which is toxic. Our recent genome-wide analysis of the mouse brain demonstrated that an increase in endogenous MeOH after ADH inhibition led to a significant increase in the plasma MeOH concentration and a modification of mRNA synthesis. These findings suggest endogenous MeOH involvement in homeostasis regulation by controlling mRNA levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPectin methylesterase-generated methanol may be involved in tobacco leaf growth.
Biochemistry (Mosc)
February 2014
Plant leaves undergo a sink-source modification of intercellular macromolecular transport during the transition from carbon import to carbon export. After assessing the role of metabolite signaling in gene regulation in Nicotiana tabacum sink and source leaves, we observed increased pectin methylesterase (PME)-mediated methanol generation in immature leaves. Using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH), we identified a number of genes whose activity changes from sink to source leaves.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Recent research indicates that methanol emitted by wounded plants may serve as a signaling molecule for communication between plants and animals.
- In mammals, methanol is typically toxic, but evidence suggests it might play specific roles in the body rather than just being waste.
- Our study showed that increased blood methanol changes mRNA levels related to detoxification, hinting that methanol may help regulate homeostasis and is partly produced by gut flora.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers discovered that when plants are wounded, they produce pectin methylesterase (PME) that leads to the release of methanol, which aids in communication between plants and boosts their resistance to bacteria and viruses.
- Methanol, typically seen as harmful to humans due to its conversion to formaldehyde, is also recognized as a natural substance in healthy humans, raising questions about its potential functions in human metabolism.
- The study used experiments with HeLa cells and mice to identify methanol-responsive genes and found that methanol from plant sources could influence gene expression in both human and animal models, suggesting a complex signaling interaction between plants and animals.
Many plants release airborne volatile compounds in response to wounding due to pathogenic assault. These compounds serve as plant defenses and are involved in plant signaling. Here, we study the effects of pectin methylesterase (PME)-generated methanol release from wounded plants ("emitters") on the defensive reactions of neighboring "receiver" plants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF