Redox-Active Compounds

Head of Research Program: Jiří Grúz

The research is focused on plant low molecular-weight metabolites that eliminate free radicals, affect redox balance in cell or function as signals of altered redox balance. The main objectives are (i) identification of compounds related to redox disbalance, (ii) study of their oxidative transformation and (iii) effects on plant/animal cells. Studied compounds are phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, simple phenolics, ubiquinols, tocopherols, ascorbate, oxylipins and further oxidation products. Identification of compounds related to redox disbalance relies on untargeted analysis and subsequent algorithm-based selection of relevant metabolites. A special interest is  substrates of class III peroxidases and formation of phenolic dimers. The main tool used for such metabolite-oriented research is LC-MS.