Expression of barley glutathione s-transferase13 gene reduces accumulation of reactive oxygen species by trichothecenes and paraquat in arabidopsis plants

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play an important role in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and toxic compounds. We found that the barley phi class GST (HvGST13) gene is upregulated by trichothecene phytotoxin produced by the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum in barley. Trichothecene phytotoxins such as DON and T-2 toxin induce accumulation of ROS and cell death in plants. It is known that the death of host cells contributes to the virulence of F. graminearum during the later stages of infection. To characterize the role of the HvGST13 gene, we generated Arabidopsis plants in which HvGST13 was overexpressed. Growth inhibition by DON and T-2 toxin was significantly alleviated in the HvGST13ox Arabidopsis plants compared with the wild type. Accumulation of ROS and cell death apparently decreased in HvGST13ox Arabidopsis plants treated with trichothecene. Paraquat herbicide is well known to induce the generation of ROS in plants. Paraquat-induced growth retardation was also suppressed in the HvGST13ox Arabidopsis plants compared with wild type. The inoculation of F. graminearum causes disease symptoms that are markedly decreased in HvGST13ox Arabidopsis plants compared to those in the wild type. Therefore, the HvGST13 gene suppressed the phytotoxic activity of trichothecenes in plants, possibly by the scavenging of ROS.