PARP proteins, NAD, epigenetics, antioxidative response to abiotic stress

In higher eukaryotes and plants poly-ADP-ribose polymerases (PARPs) are involved in chemical and oxidative damage. PARP proteins are shown to confer resistance to reactive oxygen species and to oxidative stress. PARP enzymes and plant PARP-domain proteins show to exert a control of chromatin, nucleosomes, gene silencing and epigenetic regulation by transcription factor complexes. In addition, PARP activity regulates NAD pool. Synthesis and stability of pADR polymer seems to influence cell survival or death. Plant PARP-domain proteins have been shown able to regulate the formation and activity of transcription factor complexes involved in the activation of flavonoid biosynthesis genes, supporting anthocyanin accumulation, in stressed and non-stressed plants.