Oxidative Stress and NO Signalling in the Root Apex as an Early Response to Changes in Gravity Conditions.

Oxygen influx showed an asymmetry in the transition zone of the root apex when rootswere placed horizontally on ground. The influx increased only in the upper side, whileno changes were detected in the division and in the elongation zone. Nitric oxide (NO) was also monitored after gravistimulation, revealing a sudden burst only in the transition zone. In order to confirm these results in real microgravity conditions, experiments have been set up by using parabolic flightsand drop tower. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also monitored. Oxygen,NO and ROS were continuously monitored during normal, hyper- and microgravity conditions in roots of maize seedlings. A distinct signal in oxygen and NO fluxes was clearly detected only in the apex zone during microgravity, with no significant changes in normal and in hypergravity conditions. The same results was obtained by ROS measurement. The detrimental effect of D‟orenone, disrupting the polarised auxin transport,on the onset of the oxygen peaks during the microgravity period was also evaluated.Results indicates an active role of NO and ROS as messengers during the gravitropic response, with probable implications in the auxin redistribution.