Abstract:

【Objective】 This paper aimed to study the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on oxidative damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS) to mitochondrial membrane in harvested plum fruit (Prunus salicina Lindl.). 【Method】 The plum fruits were fumigated with 0, 10, 15 and 30 μL?L-1 NO gas and then stored for 13 days at 25℃. The physiological and biochemical properties, including respiration, contents of hydroperoxide and superoxide radical, activities of superoxidase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores, electric potential and cytochrome c/a were determined. 【Result】 Compared with the control and treatment with 10 or 30 μL?L-1 NO, treatment with 15 μL?L-1 NO increased the activities of SOD, CAT and POD, decreased effectively the contents of hydroperoxides and superoxide radical, inhibited the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores, delayed the increase of mitochondrial permeability and Cyt c/a, maintained high electric potential. With high concentration of NO, the protection by treatment with 30 μL?L-1 NO reduced. 【Conclusion】 Application of 15 μL?L-1 NO can effectively alleviate oxidative damage by ROS to mitochondrial membrane in harvested plum fruits, protect the integrity of mitochondrial membrane.

Key words: nitric oxide')">nitric oxide, plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.), mitochondrial membrane, antioxidative enzyme, reactive oxygen species, oxidative damage