Stress-induced accumulation of wheat germ agglutinin and abscisic acid in roots of wheat seedlings

Journal Article · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Plant Physiology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.91.4.1432· OSTI ID:5858214

Cammue, B P.A.; Broekaert, W F; Kellens, J T.C.; Peumans, W J ^[1]; Raikhel, N V ^[2]

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1. Laboratorium voor Plantenbiochemie K. U. Leuven (Belgium)
2. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (USA)

Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) levels in roots of 2-day-old wheat seedlings increased up to three-fold when stressed by air-drying. Similar results were obtained when seedling roots were incubated either in 0.5 molar mannitol or 180 grams per liter polyethylene glycol 6,000, with a peak level of WGA after 5 hours of stress. Longer periods of osmotic treatment resulted in a gradual decline of WGA in the roots. Since excised wheat roots incorporate more ({sup 35}S)cysteine into WGA under stress conditions, the observed increase of lectin levels is due to de novo synthesis. Measurement of abscisic acid (ABA) levels in roots of control and stressed seedlings indicated a 10-fold increase upon air-drying. Similarly, a five- and seven-fold increase of ABA content of seedling roots was found after 2 hours of osmotic stress by polyethylene glycol 6,000 and mannitol, respectively. Finally, the stress-induced increase of WGA in wheat roots could be inhibited by growing seedlings in the presence of fluridone, an inhibitor of ABA synthesis. These results indicate that roots of water-stressed wheat seedlings (a) contain more WGA as a result of an increased de novo synthesis of this lectin, and (b) exhibit higher ABA levels. The stress-induced increase of lectin accumulation seems to be under control of ABA.

• OSTI ID: 5858214
• Journal Information: Plant Physiology; (USA), Journal Name: Plant Physiology; (USA) Vol. 91:4; ISSN 0032-0889; ISSN PLPHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AGGLUTININS
ANTIBODIES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
CEREALS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISPERSIONS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GRASS
HYPERTONIC SOLUTIONS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MIXTURES
NUCLEI
PLANTS
RADIOISOTOPES
ROOTS
SEEDLINGS
SOLUTIONS
SULFUR 35
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR ISOTOPES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WHEAT