Review of Lipid Biomarkers and Signals of Photooxidative Stress in Plants.

Abstract

The degree of unsaturation of plant lipids is high, making them sensitive to oxidation. They thus constitute primary targets of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress. Moreover, the hydroperoxides generated during lipid peroxidation decompose in a variety of secondary products which can propagate oxidative stress or trigger signaling mechanisms. Both primary and secondary products of lipid oxidation are helpful markers of oxidative stress in plants. This chapter describes a number of methods that have been developed to measure those biomarkers and signals, with special emphasis on the monitoring of photooxidative stress. Depending on their characteristics, those lipid markers provide information not only on the oxidation status of plant tissues but also on the origin of lipid peroxidation, the localization of the damage, or the type of reactive oxygen species involved.