Modulation of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway in transgenic rice confers tolerance to drought stress
Issue date
2004Suggested citation
Capell Capell, Teresa;
Bassie Rene, Ludovic;
Christou, Paul;
.
(2004)
.
Modulation of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway in transgenic rice confers tolerance to drought stress.
PNAS, 2004, vol. 101, núm. 26, p. 9909-9914.
https://doi.org/10.1073 pnas.0306974101.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
We have generated transgenic rice plants expressing the Datura
stramonium adc gene and investigated their response to drought
stress. We monitored the steady-state mRNA levels of genes involved
in polyamine biosynthesis (Datura adc, rice adc, and rice samdc) and
polyamine levels. Wild-type plants responded to the onset of drought
stress by increasing endogenous putrescine levels, but this was
insufficient to trigger the conversion of putrescine into spermidine
and spermine (the agents that are believed to protect plants under
stress). In contrast, transgenic plants expressing Datura adc produced
much higher levels of putrescine under stress, promoting spermidine
and spermine synthesis and ultimately protecting the plants from
drought. We demonstrate clearly that the manipulation of polyamine
biosynthesis in plants can produce drought-tolerant germplasm, and
we propose a model consistent with the role of polyamines in the
protection of plants against abiotic stress.