-ray sensitivity in exhibiting different flavonoid accumulation patterns

Kitamura, Satoshi; Narumi, Issey*

In this study, to understand more deeply the physiological functions of flavonoids in plants, we analyze the responses to -irradiation in Arabidopsis thaliana exhibiting different flavonoid accumulation patterns. When dry seeds were exposed to -rays, obvious differences in -ray sensitivities were detected between WT and a complete flavonoid-less mutant, tt4. When dry seeds of tt12, seed-specific flavonoid mutant, were exposed to -rays, a survival rate was also reduced compared to WT. In addition, to know the relationship between -ray sensitivity and radical scavenging activity of flavonoids, ROS scavenging ability in dry seeds was determined for each genotype. These results suggest that flavonoids would contribute ROS scavenging within irradiated seeds, even in the case where the flavonoid accumulating tissues are apart from the rudimentary plant body, an embryo.