Multistep involvement of glutathione with salicylic acid and ethylene to combat environmental stress.

The role of glutathione (GSH) in plant defense is an established fact. However, the association of GSH with other established signaling molecules within the defense signaling network remains to be evaluated. Previously we have shown that GSH is involved in defense signaling network likely through NPR1-dependent salicylic acid (SA)-mediated pathway.

Proteins differentially expressed in elicited cell suspension culture of Podophyllum hexandrum with enhanced podophyllotoxin content.

Background: Podophyllotoxin (PTOX), the precursor for semi-synthesis of cancer therapeutics like etoposide, teniposide and etophos, is primarily obtained from an endangered medicinal herb, Podophyllum hexandrum Royle. PTOX, a lignan is biosynthetically derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway. The aim of this study is to investigate changes in the P.

Glutathione as a signaling molecule: another challenge to pathogens.

Plants harbor a variety of signaling molecules which are members of a vast array of signaling networks in maintaining their physiological balance. The well known members up till now are salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene (ET), abscissic acid (ABA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are employed by plants for their adaptation to various environmental stresses in order to survive. GSH is gradually gaining importance and becoming a molecule of interest to a number of researchers especially in relation to plant defense to pathogens.

Glutathione signaling acts through NPR1-dependent SA-mediated pathway to mitigate biotic stress.

Glutathione (GSH) has widely been known to be a multifunctional molecule especially as an antioxidant uptill now, but has found a new role in plant defense signaling. Research from the past three decades indicate that GSH is a player in pathogen defense in plants, but the mechanism underlying this has not been elucidated fully. We have recently shown that GSH acts as a signaling molecule and mitigates biotic stress through non-expressor of PR genes 1 (NPR1)-dependent salicylic acid (SA)-mediated pathway.

Nicotiana tabacum overexpressing γ-ECS exhibits biotic stress tolerance likely through NPR1-dependent salicylic acid-mediated pathway.

The elaborate networks and the crosstalk of established signaling molecules like salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene (ET), abscisic acid (ABA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) play key role in plant defense response. To obtain further insight into the mechanism through which GSH is involved in this crosstalk to mitigate biotic stress, transgenic Nicotiana tabacum overexpressing Lycopersicon esculentum gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (LeECS) gene (NtGB lines) were generated with enhanced level of GSH in comparison with wild-type plants exhibiting resistance to pathogenesis as well. The expression levels of non-expressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1)-dependent genes like pathogenesis-related gene 1 (NtPR1), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (NtMAPKK), glutamine synthetase (NtGLS) were significantly enhanced along with NtNPR1.

In vivo efficacy of calceolarioside A against experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

Bioactivity-guided fractionation has led to the successful isolation of calceolarioside A ( 1) from the methanolic extract of night jasmine leaves. The in vitro antileishmanial activity of compound 1 was determined (IC (50) = 20 microg/mL). Its IN VIVO efficacy was noted at 20 mg/kg body weight when it reduced the hepatic and splenic parasite burden by 79 and 84 %, respectively, in an established model of L.

Oxidative DNA damage preventive activity and antioxidant potential of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni, a natural sweetener.

At 0.1 mg/mL, the ethyl acetate extract (EAE) of the crude 85% methanolic extract (CAE) of Stevia rebaudiana leaves exhibited preventive activity against DNA strand scission by *OH generated in Fenton's reaction on pBluescript II SK (-) DNA. Its efficacy is better than that of quercetin.