Alleviation of methyl viologen-mediated oxidative stress by Brassica juncea annexin-3 in transgenic Arabidopsis

•AnnBj3 protects Arabidopsis thaliana from methyl viologen-mediated stress.•AnnBj3 protects photosynthesis from photo-oxidative damage.•AnnBj3 preferably associates with plasma membrane and protects from damage.•AnnBj3 detoxifies reactive oxygen species and shows antioxidative property in vitro.•AnnBj3 interferes with cellular antioxidants in transgenics. Plant annexins function as calcium-dependent or -independent phospholipid binding proteins and constitute about 0.1% of total cellular proteins. Some of them were reported to antagonize oxidative stress and protect plant cells. Brassica juncea annexin-3 (AnnBj3) was recently discovered. To gain insight into a possible function of AnnBj3 in oxidative stress response, we investigated the resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing AnnBj3 constitutively. Here we report that, AnnBj3 attenuates methyl viologen-mediated oxidative stress in plants. It protected photosynthesis and plasma membrane from methyl viologen-mediated oxidative damage. AnnBj3 detoxifies hydrogen peroxide and showed antioxidative property in vitro. The protein increased total peroxidase activity in transgenics and interfered with other cellular antioxidants, thereby giving an overall cellular protection against methyl viologen-induced cytotoxicity.