A protein disulfide-thiol interchange protein with NADH: protein disulfide reductase (NADH oxidase) activity as a molecular target for low levels of exposure to organic solvents in plant growth

Abstract

A number of solvents including ethyl, amyl, butyl, octyl and benzyl alcohols, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, acetone, diethyl ether, propylene oxide, r-dioxane, benzene, xylene, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride stimulate the growth of plants or plant parts at low concentrations and inhibit at high concentrations. These same solvents, at low dilutions, stimulate the activity of a growth-related protein disulfide-thiol interchange protein (TIP) with NADH: protein disulfide reductase (NADH oxidase) (NOX) activity with plasma membrane vesicles isolated from elongating regions cut from dark grown seedlings of soybeans. Based on these and other findings, we suggest the TIP/NOX protein to be the molecular target of the biological effects of low levels of exposure (hormesis) involved in the stimulation of plant growth.