Cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria and peroxisomes are the major sites of NO-generation in plants
[98]. Notably, major pathways for NO generation discovered to date in plants can be categorized into namely enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways
[20]. In enzymatic pathways, cytosolic nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.1) and NO synthase (NOS; EC 1.14.13.39) catalyze NO-generation. However, nitrite NO-reductase (Ni:NOR) and xanthine oxido-reductase (XOR)
[98][99], and the heme proteins
[100] have also been argued to be involved in the enzymatic generation of NO
[100]. Moreover, enzyme NO synthase NOS (EC 1.14.13.39) is involved in the production of endogenous NO in mammals
[101]. In
A. thaliana genome,
AtNOA1 (NITRIC OXIDE ASSOCIATED 1) is indirectly involved in NO production
[92].
In plants, enzymatic endogenous NO-generation has been assumed to mainly involve NR
[102][103]. Restricted to the cytosol NR has been suggested to catalyze the reduction of NO
3- to NO
2- using NADPH as the main electron donor
[101]. Nevertheless, revealed through in vitro and in vivo experiments, low oxygen concentration and cellular pH were argued as two of the most important requirements for the activity of NR
[102]. In
Arabidopsis, the NR enzyme encoded redundantly by
NIA1 and
NIA2 genes is capable of reducing nitrite to NO
[104]. In addition to highlighted enzymatic sources of NO-generation in plants, NO can be generated non-enzymatically as a by-product of denitrification, fixation of N and respiration. At pH range between 3.0–6.0, AsA-mediated reduction of nitrite yields NO and dehydroascorbic acid
[103].
Owing to its lipophilic and highly diffusible in nature, NO is involved in several signaling processes in plants
[105]. The list of NO-derivatives, usually referred to as RNS includes NO radicals (NO
−), nitrosonium cation (NO
+), peroxynitrite (ONOO
−), S-nitrosothiols (SNOs), higher oxides of N (NOx) and dinitrosyl-iron complexes
[106]. S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) is yielded as a result of the reaction of NO with reduced GSH in presence of O
2. In turn, NADH-dependent S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) decomposes GSNO to GSSG and NH
3 [107]. NO synthesized during these processes can induce diverse effects in plants
[108]. Conflicting reports are accessible about NO induced changes, where some studies show NO as a stress inducing agent
[109], even as others have mentioned it as a protective agent
[17]. In order to play signaling function, NO has been shown to interact with second messenger, such as, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), cytosolic Ca
2+ ion concentration, and cADP-ribose, phosphatidic acid and ROS
[110]. NO-mediated regulation of the activity of enzymes may involve post-translational modifications and joining themselves with metal centers of proteins. NO may also alter the aggregation state, activity, or location of residue of Cys and tyrosine of proteins
[97]. NO-mediated nitration of fatty acids is an imperative part of NO signaling in plants
[111]. NO can also initiate mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in plant cells
[112]. MAPK cascade (MEK2-SIPK) induces
NO ASSOCIATED1 and NR-mediated NO burst
[113]. In particular, SIPK can give positive feedback between NO and ROS signals and MAPK cascades can act to regulate ROS and NO production in plants
[113]. Reduction in ROS levels, mitigation of oxidative stress and the role as an anti-senescence agent can be performed by the mitochondrial NOS (
NOS1).