Oxidative stress is caused by overproduction and overaccumulation of ROS (reactive oxygen species). This state is responsible for cellular damage during unfavorable environmental conditions such as drought, low temperatures, salinity. In order to directly study oxidative stress at tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) I used specific herbicides, MV (methyl viologen) and 3-AT (3- aminotriazole). There were several markers used for monitoring oxidative damage to cellular components: DNA damage detected by a comet assay, lipid peroxidation, carbonylated proteins and modification of activities of antioxidant enzymes CAT (catalase) and APX (ascorbate peroxidase). Fluorescent microscopy documented changes in a redox state of tobacco cells and a specific signal for peroxisomes was observed after treatment with higher concentrations of MV and 3-AT. Application of both herbicides caused significant DNA damage, while they worked in a different concentrations, MV in µM and 3-AT in mM. Another convincing oxidative stress marker for MV was protein carbonylation. The inhibition of antioxidant enzymes CAT and APX was less significant when compared to the effects of 3-AT. Decreasing membrane stability proved to be an universal oxidative stress marker for both herbicides. On the other hand, lipid...

FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar o efeito do armazenamento dos frutos de seis clones de aceroleira (BRS 152, BRS 235, BRS 236, BRS 237, BRS 238 e II47/1) à temperatura abaixo da temperatura mÃnima de seguranÃa (TMS), analisando os efeitos na qualidade dos frutos, no conteÃdo de compostos bioativos e na atividade enzimÃtica. Os frutos foram colhidos no inÃcio do estÃdio de maturaÃÃo, no campo experimental da Embrapa AgroindÃstria Tropical, na cidade de Pacajus, sendo acondicionados em bandejas de plÃstico envolvidas com filme de PVC, as quais foram armazenadas em cÃmara fria Ãs temperaturas de 4 e 8 ÂC por atà 12 dias. A cada trÃs dias foram retiradas amostras (bandejas contendo cerca de 180 g de frutos) para realizaÃÃo das anÃlises, sendo os frutos, em seguida, submetidos a um processamento em multiprocessador com peneira de 1 mm para obtenÃÃo da polpa. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 6 x 5, com trÃs repetiÃÃes, sendo o primeiro fator os seis clones de aceroleira e o segundo os tempos de armazenamento dos frutos (0, 3, 6, 9 e 12 dias). Os dados foram submetidos à anÃlise de variÃncia e, quando a interaÃÃo entre os dois fatores foi significativa, eles foram submetidos à anÃlise de regressÃo; quando nÃo houve interaÃÃo significativa foi realizado o teste de Tukey a 5%. Para avaliar a qualidade dos frutos, foram analisadas as caracterÃsticas fÃsicas (firmeza, perda de massa e cor) e fÃsico-quÃmicas e quÃmicas (pH, sÃlidos solÃveis, acidez titulÃvel e aÃÃcares solÃveis totais). Como resultado, foi observado que tais caracterÃsticas dos frutos acondicionados a 4 e 8 ÂC foram praticamente as mesmas, exceto com relaÃÃo à perda de massa que foi 31% menor a 4 ÂC. Portanto, de modo geral, o armazenamento dos frutos a 4 ÂC nÃo comprometeu os parÃmetros de qualidade dos frutos, quando comparados com aqueles armazenados na TMS para a acerola (8 ÂC). Com relaÃÃo ao conteÃdo dos compostos bioativos (Ãcido ascÃrbico, carotenoides e antocianinas) dos frutos armazenados a 4 ÂC, de modo geral, ele nÃo diferiu muito daquele dos frutos armazenados na temperatura de 8 ÂC. Houve uma tendÃncia de queda nos teores de Ãcido ascÃrbico durante o armazenamento nas duas temperaturas, resultado tambÃm observado para os teores de antocianinas a 8 ÂC. Por outro lado, os de carotenoides apresentaram tendÃncia de aumento à 4 ÂC, mas nÃo variaram com o tempo de armazenamento a 8 ÂC. O clone II47/1 foi o que apresentou frutos com maiores teores de Ãcido ascÃrbico, carotenoides e antocianinas nas duas temperaturas de armazenamento. De modo geral, as enzimas oxidativas de fenÃis (polifenoloxidase e peroxidase do guaiacol) dos frutos dos clones armazenados a 4 e 8 ÂC apresentaram comportamentos semelhantes durante o acondicionamento refrigerado. O estudo com as enzimas antioxidativas (dismutase do superÃxido, catalase e peroxidase do ascorbato) revelou que os frutos armazenados a 4 ÂC apresentaram, respectivamente, valores de atividade da dismutase do superÃxido e da catalase 263% e 37%, em mÃdia, maiores que aqueles armazenados na TMS para a acerola (8 ÂC). Tais resultados sugerem que a 4 ÂC os frutos estÃo sob estresse oxidativo. A catalase foi a principal enzima removedora de perÃxido de hidrogÃnio nos frutos, tendo sua atividade intensificada apÃs o 6 dia de armazenamento. Os resultados sugerem que os clones II47/1 e o BRS 152 sÃo resistentes as condiÃÃes de armazenamento nas temperaturas 4 e 8 ÂC. / The present work aimed to study the effect of fruit storage of six clones of acerola (BRS 152 BRS 235 BRS 236 BRS 237 BRS 238 and II47/1) at temperature below the temperature minimum security (TMS), analyzing the effects on fruit quality, the content of bioactive compounds and enzyme activity. The fruits were harvested at the beginning of ripening stage on the experimental field of Embrapa Tropical, in the city of Pacajus being packed in plastic trays involved with PVC film, which were stored in cold storage at temperatures of 4 ÂC and 8 ÂC for up to 12 days. Every three days samples were withdrawn (tray containing about 180 g of fruit) for carrying out analyzes, and the fruits are then subjected to a processing multiprocessor 1 mm screen to obtain the pulp. The experimental design was completely randomized in factorial scheme 6 x 5 with three replications, with the first factor corresponding to six clones of acerola and the second one corresponding to the five times of fruit storage (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 days). The data were subjected to analysis of variance and, when the interaction between the two factors was significant, they were subjected to regression analysis; when there was no significant interaction, the means were compared by Tukeyâs test at 5% of probability. To assess the quality of fruits, it was analyzed their physical (strength, weight loss and color) and physico-chemical and chemical characteristics (pH, soluble solids, titratable acidity and total soluble sugars). As a result, it was observed that the characteristics of the fruit stored at 4 ÂC to 8 ÂC were practically the same, except with respect to mass loss, which was 31% lower at 4 ÂC. Therefore, in general, the fruit storage at 4 ÂC did not affect the quality parameters of fruits, compared to those stored in the TMS to the acerola (8 ÂC). Regarding the content of bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid, carotenoids and anthocyanins), the fruit stored at 4 ÂC, generally did not differ from that of the fruit stored at 8 ÂC. There was a trend towards a decrease in the ascorbic acid content during storage at both temperatures, a result also observed for the anthocyanins to 8 ÂC. On the other hand, the carotenoid content increased at 4 ÂC and did not change with time of storage at 8 ÂC. The fruits of clone II47/1 had the higher contents of ascorbic acid, carotenoids and anthocyanins in the two storage temperatures. In general the phenol oxidizing enzymes (polyphenol oxidase and guaiacol peroxidase) of fruit clones stored at 4 and 8 ÂC had similar behavior during cold storage, and the fruits of clones II47/1 and BRS 152 had the higher enzyme activity during storage at both temperatures The study about the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase catalase and ascorbate peroxidase) revealed that fruits stored at 4 ÂC showed respectively activity values of superoxide dismutase and catalase 263% and 37% on average higher than those stored at TMS for acerola (8 ÂC) These results suggest that the fruits storaged at 4 ÂC are under oxidative stress Catalase was the main hydrogen peroxide removing enzyme in fruit which activity increased after 6 days of storage The results suggest that clones II47 / 1 and BRS 152 are resistant storage conditions at temperatures 4 and 8 ÂC