Mechanistic Approach on Melatonin-Induced Hormesis of Photosystem II Function in the Medicinal Plant <i>Mentha spicata</i>
Melatonin (MT) is considered a new plant hormone having a universal distribution from prokaryotic bacteria to higher plants. It has been characterized as an antistress molecule playing a positive role in the acclimation of plants to stress conditions, but its impact on plants under non-stressed cond...
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/23/4025 |
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| author | Michael Moustakas Ilektra Sperdouli Ioannis-Dimosthenis S. Adamakis Begüm Şaş Sumrunaz İşgören Julietta Moustaka Fermín Morales |
| author_facet | Michael Moustakas Ilektra Sperdouli Ioannis-Dimosthenis S. Adamakis Begüm Şaş Sumrunaz İşgören Julietta Moustaka Fermín Morales |
| author_sort | Michael Moustakas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Melatonin (MT) is considered a new plant hormone having a universal distribution from prokaryotic bacteria to higher plants. It has been characterized as an antistress molecule playing a positive role in the acclimation of plants to stress conditions, but its impact on plants under non-stressed conditions is not well understood. In the current research, we evaluated the impact of MT application (10 and 100 μM) on photosystem II (PSII) function, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and chlorophyll content on mint (<i>Mentha spicata</i> L.) plants in order to elucidate the molecular mechanism of MT action on the photosynthetic electron transport process that under non-stressed conditions is still unclear. Seventy-two hours after the foliar spray of mint plants with 100 μM MT, the improved chlorophyll content imported a higher amount of light energy capture, which caused a 6% increase in the quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (Φ<i><sub>PSII</sub></i>) and electron transport rate (ETR). Nevertheless, the spray with 100 μM MT reduced the efficiency of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC), causing donor-side photoinhibition, with a simultaneous slight increase in ROS. Even so, the application of 100 μM MT decreased the excess excitation energy at PSII implying superior PSII efficiency. The decreased excitation pressure at PSII, after 100 μM MT foliar spray, suggests that MT induced stomatal closure through ROS production. The response of Φ<i><sub>PSII</sub></i> to MT spray corresponds to a J-shaped hormetic curve, with Φ<i><sub>PSII</sub></i> enhancement by 100 μM MT. It is suggested that the hormetic stimulation of PSII functionality was triggered by the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) mechanism that stimulated ROS production, which enhanced the photosynthetic function. It is concluded that MT molecules can be used under both stress and non-stressed conditions as photosynthetic biostimulants for enhancing crop yields. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:45:31Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:45:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
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| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7110099b5c54cf1ac3e5bf0f9d97c0b2023-12-08T15:23:58ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-11-011223402510.3390/plants12234025Mechanistic Approach on Melatonin-Induced Hormesis of Photosystem II Function in the Medicinal Plant <i>Mentha spicata</i> Michael Moustakas0Ilektra Sperdouli1Ioannis-Dimosthenis S. Adamakis2Begüm Şaş3Sumrunaz İşgören4Julietta Moustaka5Fermín Morales6Department of Botany, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceInstitute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-Demeter (ELGO-Demeter), 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceSection of Botany, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Botany, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Botany, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Food Science, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, DenmarkInstituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), CSIC-Gobierno de Navarra, Avda. de Pamplona 123, 31192 Mutilva, Navarra, SpainMelatonin (MT) is considered a new plant hormone having a universal distribution from prokaryotic bacteria to higher plants. It has been characterized as an antistress molecule playing a positive role in the acclimation of plants to stress conditions, but its impact on plants under non-stressed conditions is not well understood. In the current research, we evaluated the impact of MT application (10 and 100 μM) on photosystem II (PSII) function, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and chlorophyll content on mint (<i>Mentha spicata</i> L.) plants in order to elucidate the molecular mechanism of MT action on the photosynthetic electron transport process that under non-stressed conditions is still unclear. Seventy-two hours after the foliar spray of mint plants with 100 μM MT, the improved chlorophyll content imported a higher amount of light energy capture, which caused a 6% increase in the quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (Φ<i><sub>PSII</sub></i>) and electron transport rate (ETR). Nevertheless, the spray with 100 μM MT reduced the efficiency of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC), causing donor-side photoinhibition, with a simultaneous slight increase in ROS. Even so, the application of 100 μM MT decreased the excess excitation energy at PSII implying superior PSII efficiency. The decreased excitation pressure at PSII, after 100 μM MT foliar spray, suggests that MT induced stomatal closure through ROS production. The response of Φ<i><sub>PSII</sub></i> to MT spray corresponds to a J-shaped hormetic curve, with Φ<i><sub>PSII</sub></i> enhancement by 100 μM MT. It is suggested that the hormetic stimulation of PSII functionality was triggered by the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) mechanism that stimulated ROS production, which enhanced the photosynthetic function. It is concluded that MT molecules can be used under both stress and non-stressed conditions as photosynthetic biostimulants for enhancing crop yields.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/23/4025chlorophyll contentreactive oxygen specieselectron transport ratenon-photochemical quenchingPSII photochemistryreaction centers |
| spellingShingle | Michael Moustakas Ilektra Sperdouli Ioannis-Dimosthenis S. Adamakis Begüm Şaş Sumrunaz İşgören Julietta Moustaka Fermín Morales Mechanistic Approach on Melatonin-Induced Hormesis of Photosystem II Function in the Medicinal Plant <i>Mentha spicata</i> Plants chlorophyll content reactive oxygen species electron transport rate non-photochemical quenching PSII photochemistry reaction centers |
| title | Mechanistic Approach on Melatonin-Induced Hormesis of Photosystem II Function in the Medicinal Plant <i>Mentha spicata</i> |
| title_full | Mechanistic Approach on Melatonin-Induced Hormesis of Photosystem II Function in the Medicinal Plant <i>Mentha spicata</i> |
| title_fullStr | Mechanistic Approach on Melatonin-Induced Hormesis of Photosystem II Function in the Medicinal Plant <i>Mentha spicata</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanistic Approach on Melatonin-Induced Hormesis of Photosystem II Function in the Medicinal Plant <i>Mentha spicata</i> |
| title_short | Mechanistic Approach on Melatonin-Induced Hormesis of Photosystem II Function in the Medicinal Plant <i>Mentha spicata</i> |
| title_sort | mechanistic approach on melatonin induced hormesis of photosystem ii function in the medicinal plant i mentha spicata i |
| topic | chlorophyll content reactive oxygen species electron transport rate non-photochemical quenching PSII photochemistry reaction centers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/23/4025 |
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