Inefficient chaperone activity in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) causes accumulation of unfolded proteins and is called ER stress, which triggers the unfolded protein response. For proper oxidative protein folding, reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2 are produced in the ER. Although the role of ROS during abiotic stresses such as salinity is well documented, the role of ER-related ROS production and its signalling is not yet known. Moreover, how H2O2 production, redox regulation, and antioxidant defence are affected in salt-treated plants when ER protein-folding machinery is impaired needs to be elucidated. For this aim, changes in NADPH-oxidase-dependent ROS signalling and H2O2 content at sequential time intervals and after 48 h of ER stress, induced by tunicamycin (Tm), salinity, and their combination were determined in Arabidopsis thaliana. The main root growth was inhibited by ER stress, while low levels of Tm caused an increase in lateral root density. Salt stress and Tm induced the expression of ER-stress-related genes (bZIP17, bZIP28, bZIP60, TIN1, BiP1, BiP3) and ERO1. Tm induced expression of RBOHD and RBOHF, which led to an early increase in H2O2 and triggered ROS signalling. This study is the first report that ER stress induces the antioxidant system and the Asada-Halliwell pathway of A. thaliana in a similar way to salinity. ER stress caused oxidative damage, as evident by increased H2O2 accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation. As a result, this study shows that ER stress triggers ROS signalling, changes the redox state, and regulates the antioxidant defence of A. thaliana.
Keywords: Antioxidant defence; ROS signalling; endoplasmic reticulum stress; oxidative stress; salt stress; tunicamycin..