Methods for nitric oxide detection during plant-pathogen interactions.

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the transduction of numerous signals in living organisms, and its biological effects are often influenced by its concentration. Therefore, the ability to reliably detect and quantify NO is crucial to understanding its role in cellular processes. Many techniques are available to detect and quantify NO, but depending on the material and the aim of the analysis, specific adaptations are often required because its high chemical reactivity leads to the formation of numerous reactive nitrogen species that make the accurate determination of NO levels difficult. Moreover, the pathogen-induced hypersensitive response leads to high rates of reactive oxygen species production that react with NO and lead to the formation of its oxidized derivates. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the methods that have so far been employed to detect and measure NO in plants during the hypersensitive disease resistance response.