Toxic oxygen species and protective systems of the chloroplast

Abstract

Salin, M. L. 1988. Toxic oxygen species and protective systems of the chloroplast. ‐Physiol. Plant. 72: 681–689. As a consequence of living in an environment enriched in oxygen, which they themselves at least partially generate, photosynthetic organisms are exposed to large fluxes of oxyradicals and reactive oxygen species. Among these are superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen. These highly reactive intermediates pose the threat of toxicity unless neutralized by scavenger substrates or enzymes. The production of oxyradicals and intermediates by chloroplasts as well as the means of protection are discussed in this review.