Nitric oxide production and protein S-nitrosation in algae

Abstract

Key roles for nitric oxide in signalling processes and plant physiological processes are now well established. In particular, the identification and functional characterisation of proteins regulated by S-nitrosation, a NO-dependent post-translational modification, provided remarkable insights into the subtle mechanisms by which NO mediates its effects. Nevertheless, and despite the considerable progress in understanding NO signalling, the question of how plant cells produce NO is not yet fully resolved. Interestingly, there is now compelling evidence that algae constitute promising biological models to investigate NO production and functions in plants. This article reviews recent highlights of research on NO production in algae and provides an overview of S-nitrosation in these organisms at the proteome level.

Keywords: Algae; Amidoxime reducing component; Klebsormidium nitens; Nitric oxide; Nitric oxide synthase; S-nitrosation; Signalling.