Stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco seedlings that overexpress glutathione S-transferase/glutathione peroxidase

Overexpression of a tobacco glutathione S-transferase with glutathione peroxidase activity (GST/GPX) in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) enhanced seedling growth under a variety of stressful conditions, In addition to increased CST and GPX activity, transgenic CST/CPX expressing (GST+) seedlings had elevated levels of monodehydroascorbate reductase activity, GST+ seedlings also contained higher levels of glutathione and ascorbate than wildtype seedlings and the glutathione pools were more oxidized. Thermal or salt-stress treatments that inhibited the growth of wild-type seedlings also caused increased levels of lipid peroxidation. These treatments had less effect on the growth of GST+ seedling growth and did not lead to increased lipid peroxidation, Stress-induced damage resulted in reduced metabolic activity in wild-type seedlings while GST+ seedlings maintained metabolic activity levels comparable to seedlings grown under control conditions, These results indicate that overexpression of GST/GPX in transgenic tobacco seedlings provides increased glutathione-dependent peroxide scavenging and alterations in glutathione and ascorbate metabolism that lead to reduced oxidative damage. We conclude that this protective effect is primarily responsible for the ability of GST+ seedlings to maintain growth under stressful conditions.