Thermal stability of antioxidant defense enzymes was investigated in leaf and inflorescence of heat adaptive weed Chenopodium album. Leaf samples were taken at early and late seedling stage in December (LD, 20 °C/4 °C) and March (LM, 31 °C/14 °C). Young inflorescence (INF) was sampled at flowering in April (40 °C/21 °C). LD, LM and INF crude protein extracts were subjected to elevated temperatures (5 to 100 °C) for 30'. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was the most heat stable enzyme followed by Ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Two heat stable SOD isozymes were visible on native-PAGE at 100 °C in both leaf and INF. Some heat stable APX isozymes were more abundant in INF than leaf. Thermostability of catalase (CAT) increased with age and increasing ambient temperatures in leaves. CAT activity was observed up to 60 °C in leaves and INF while peroxidase (POX) retained activity up to 100 °C in INF due to one thermostable isozyme. Glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1) and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) showed activity up to 70 °C in both leaves and INF. DHAR activity was stable up to 60 °C while GR and MDHAR declined sharply after 40 °C. Constitutive heat stable isozymes of SOD and APX in leaves and INF may contribute towards heat tolerance in C. album.
Keywords: Antioxidant defense; Chenopodium album; Heat tolerance; Thermostable APX; Thermostable SOD.