Redox reactions are an essential part of the cell’s metabolism, differentiation, and responses to the prevailing environmental conditions. In plants, dramatic changes in cellular redox status are observed upon exposure to environmental stresses, including pathogen attack. These changes affect the oxidative status of reactive cysteine thiols in regulatory proteins. To control oxidative protein modifications, plant cells employ the antioxidant enzymes S-nitrosoglutathione Reductase 1 (GSNOR1) and members of the Thioredoxin (TRX) superfamily. Immune signalling by the hormone salicylic acid (SA) is particularly dependent on the activity of these enzymes. SA is synthesized in response to challenge by plant pathogens for the establishment of local and systemic immunity. SA accumulation is regulated by cellular levels of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), a redox molecule capable of S-nitrosylating proteins (i.e., covalent attachment of nitric oxide to cysteines). GSNOR1 is thought to regulate cellular GSNO and global S-nitrosylation levels, but it is unknown how GSNOR1 regulates SA biosynthesis. Furthermore, SA recruits the activities of selected TRX enzymes that act as ubiquitous thiol reductases to counteract cysteine oxidation of SA-responsive regulatory proteins, thereby modulating their activities. However, it is unclear how SA controls nuclear redox processes involved in SAresponsive gene activation. Here we show that GSNOR1 regulates SA accumulation by regulating the expression of SA biosynthetic genes and their transcriptional activators. Moreover, we describe Nucleoredoxins (NRX) that represent novel, potentially nuclear localized members of the TRX superfamily. Mutant nrx1 plants displayed enhanced disease resistance, which was associated with enhanced expression of genes involved in synthesis of salicylic acid. Unlike classical TRX, NRX enzymes contain multiple active sites, suggesting they may exhibit significant reductase or remodelling activities. Indeed, insulin turbidity assays indicated that NRX proteins show an unusual form of disulphide reduction activity. Taken together, the data presented in this thesis demonstrate that GSNOR1 and NRX enzymes play critical roles in regulating synthesis of and signalling by SA in plant immunity.

Submitted by WELDER FRANZINI AMARAL CALLERA null (weldercallera@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-28T21:25:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE - Welder F A Callera OK.pdf: 2324966 bytes, checksum: 979c488a0e341117b537d2d5a1ec77b2 (MD5) / Rejected by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com), reason: Solicitamos que realize uma nova submissão seguindo a orientação abaixo: O arquivo submetido está sem a ficha catalográfica. A versão submetida por você é considerada a versão final da dissertação/tese, portanto não poderá ocorrer qualquer alteração em seu conteúdo após a aprovação. Corrija esta informação e realize uma nova submissão contendo o arquivo correto. Agradecemos a compreensão. on 2017-08-29T18:03:23Z (GMT) / Submitted by WELDER FRANZINI AMARAL CALLERA null (weldercallera@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-29T18:41:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE - Welder F A Callera OK.pdf: 2349810 bytes, checksum: 0b00e94e2ccb5b74f2521ba559748736 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-08-29T18:53:53Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 callera_wfa_dr_araiq.pdf: 2349810 bytes, checksum: 0b00e94e2ccb5b74f2521ba559748736 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-29T18:53:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 callera_wfa_dr_araiq.pdf: 2349810 bytes, checksum: 0b00e94e2ccb5b74f2521ba559748736 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-04 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Esta tese de doutoramento apresentou o entendimento de processos redox enzimáticos, detalhando o mecanismo envolvido na troca eletrônica, a qual resulta na formação de um produto, por catálise enzimática. Observou-se a influência de um eletrodo sob a ação de um potencial estacionário aplicado (E) na reação enzima/substrato. Realizou-se eletroanálises, como: Voltametria Cíclica (VC) e Espectroscopia de Impedância Eletroquímica (EIE), para a penicilinase. Os resultados obtidos dão indícios de que a reação enzimática se beneficia de determinados potenciais, pois o parâmetro utilizado, Rct, resistência à transferência de cargas, sugere que ocorre maior troca eletrônica em alguns potenciais ótimos (faixa de -0,3 a -0,5 V). A Simulação Molecular serviu para estudar o comportamento atomístico por métodos clássicos (Dinâmica Molecular – DM) para as condições impostas experimentalmente, esclarecendo o mecanismo de reação enzimática por métodos quânticos (DFT – Teoria do Funcional de Densidade) e híbridos (QM/MM), cabendo salientar que a penicilinase não pertence à classe das enzimas oxirredutivas. / This doctoral thesis presented the understanding of enzymatic redox processes, detailing the mechanism involved in the electronic exchange, which results in the formation of a product by enzymatic catalysis. The influence of an electrode under the action of an applied stationary potential (E) on the enzyme/substrate reaction was observed. Electroanalysis was performed, such as: Cyclic Voltammetry (VC) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), for the penicilinase. The results obtained indicate that the enzymatic reaction benefits from certain potentials, since the parameter used, Rct, resistance to the transfer of charges, suggests that there is greater electronic exchange in some optimal potentials (range the -0.3 to -0.5 V). The Molecular Simulation was used to study the atomistic behavior by classical methods (Molecular Dynamics - DM) for experimentally imposed conditions, clarifying the mechanism of enzymatic reaction by quantum methods (DFT) and hybrids (QM/MM). That penicillinase does not belong to the class of oxidoreductive enzymes.