Nitro-fatty acids in plant signaling: New key mediators of nitric oxide metabolism

Nitro-fatty acid signaling in plants. Pathway 1 indicates that NO2-Ln is able to induce a defense mechanism through the induction of the chaperone network and the increase in the expression of some antioxidant enzymes such as APX. This latter may be involved in the alleviation of the oxidative stress generated by the overproduction of ROS such as H2O2. Furthermore, NO2-Ln is a NO donor being therefore implicated in the wide range of actions in which this molecule is involved (pathway 2). The electrophilic ability of this nitro-fatty acid could contribute to the signaling actions involving NO2-FAs (pathway 3) and, under nitro-oxidative stress conditions, the oxidation of Michael adducts may occur with subsequent NO2-FA release (pathway 4) and the observed antioxidant properties of these molecules. NO: nitric oxide; HSP: heat shock protein; APX: ascorbate peroxidase.160