Desiccation induced oxidative stress and its biochemical responses in intertidal red alga Gracilaria corticata (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta)

Intertidal alga Gracilaria corticata growing in natural environment experiences various abiotic stresses during the low tides. The aim of this study was to determine whether desiccation exposure would lead to oxidative stress and its effect varies with exposure periods. This study gives an account of various biochemical changes in G. corticata following the exposure to desiccation for a period of 0 (control), 1, 2, 3 and 4 h under controlled conditions. During desiccation, G. corticata thalli showed dramatic loss of water by almost 47% when desiccated for 4 h. The enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased lipid peroxidation observed during the exposure of 3–4 h were chiefly contributed by higher lipoxygenase (LOX) activity with the induction of two new LOX isoforms (LOX-2, ∼85 kDa; LOX-3, ∼65 kDa). The chlorophyll, carotenoids and phycobiliproteins (phycoerythrin and phycocyanin) were increased during initial 2 h exposure compared to control and thereafter declined in the succeeding exposure. The antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and the regeneration rate of reduced ascorbate (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) increased during desiccation up to 2–3 h. Further, the isoforms of antioxidant enzymes Mn-SOD (∼150 kDa), APX-4 (∼110 kDa), APX-5 (∼45 kDa), GPX-1 (∼80 kDa) and GPX-2 (∼65 kDa) responded specifically to the desiccation exposure. Compared to control, a relative higher content of both free and bound insoluble putrescine and spermine together with enhanced n-6 PUFAs namely C20:4(n-6) and C20:3(n-6) fatty acids found during 2 h exposure reveals their involvement in defence reactions against the desiccation induced oxidative stress.

► Desiccation stress induces the formation of different isoforms of SOD, APX and GPX.
► Lipoxygenase chiefly contributes to the ROS generation under desiccation stress.
► Free and bound soluble putrescine and spermine get accumulated under desiccation.
► Higher content of arachidonic and dihomo-γ-linolenic fatty acids stabilizes the cell membrane.