[Dehydration-induced intracellular solute changes and acquisition of plant desiccation tolerance]

Abstract

Some desiccation-tolerant plants can survive the loss of water even when the water content becomes as low as 0.3 g H2O/g dry weight, and can still repair quickly their cellular structures and function damages by desiccation when they get access to enough moisture again. While moderate dehydration, the tissue could accumulate some special proteins, small molecules, carbohydrate etc. which can protect the original structure and function of macromolecule and membrane through themselves' natural characteristics. Mean-while, water loss results in increased activities of reactive-oxygen-scavenging enzymes (SOD, CAT, APX and GR). For the acquisition of desiccation tolerance, water in the plants or seeds must be induced to enter the glassy state, a change which can be induced by many compounds. The crucial protective means also include the increased formation of endogenous antioxidants and the partitioning of amphiphilic substances in the lipid phase to protect the membrane. The resurrection plants and seeds are good materials for desiccation tolerance research.