Biotech Updates

Study Shows How Oleic Acid Regulates Nitric Oxide Production

June 8, 2012

Nitric oxide and oleic acid are known as regulators of disease physiologies in different organisms. A study conducted by Mihir Kumar Mandal from the University of Kentucky and colleagues shows that nitric oxide production in plants is controlled by oleic acid. The team induced genetic mutation in the oleic acid-synthesizing gene (SSI2) to reduce oleic levels in Arabidopsis. This led to NITRICOXIDE ASSOCIATED1 (NOA1) accumulation and thus increase in nitric oxide levels. It also triggered the expression of sets of genes that activate disease resistance.

The changes in the defense signaling in the ssi2 mutant was incompletely restored by a mutation in NOA1 and completely restored by double mutations in NOA1. The findings suggest that oleic acid levels regulate nitric oxide production by nitric oxide-mediated signaling through NOA1 regulation.

Read the abstract at http://www.plantcell.org/content/24/4/1654.abstract.