Putrescine transformation to other forms of polyamines in filling grain embryos functioned in enhancing the resistance of maize plants to drought stress.

Polyamines (PAs), one of plant growth regulators, play an important role in the plant resistance to drought stress. However, the precise function of putrescine (Put) transformation to other forms of PAs is not clear in filling maize grain embryos. In this study, two maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars, Yedan No. 13 (drought-resistant) and Xundan No. 22 (drought-sensitive), were used as experimental materials. Maize was planted in big plastic basins during whole growth period, and from the 25th day after fertilization, the plants were treated with drought (−1.0 MPa), PAs and inhibitors for 12 d. The experiments were performed during three consecutive years. The changes in the levels of three main free PAs, Put, spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm), covalently conjugated PAs (perchloric acid-soluble), covalently bound PAs (perchloric acid-insoluble), the activities of arginine decarboxylase, S -adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, and transglutaminase were investigated in embryos of filling grains. During drought stress, free Put increased from 109 to 367 nmol g−1 FW and from 107 to 142 nmol g−1 FW in Xundan 22 and in Yedan 13, respectively. Meanwhile, free Spd, free Spm and bound Put increased 2.7, 3.0 and 4.2 times in Yedan 13, respectively, and they merely increased about 1.5 times in Xundan 22. These results suggested that free Spd/Spm and bound Put, which were transformed from free Put, were possibly involved in drought resistance. Exogenous Spd treatment enhanced the drought-induced increase in endogenous free Spd/Spm content in drought-sensitive Xundan 22, coupled with the increase in drought resistance, as judged by the decrease in ear leaf relative plasma membrane permeability and increases in ear leaf relative water content, 1000-grain weight and grain number per ear. The suggestion was further testified with methylglyoxal-bis guanylhydrazone and o -phenanthrolin treatments. Collectively, it could be inferred that transformation of free Put to free Spd/Spm and bound Put in filling grain embryos functioned in enhancing the resistance of maize plants to soil drought. Title: Put transformation to other forms of PAs in filling grain embryos functioned in enhancing the resistance of maize plants to D.S. The black arrows mean the PA contents and enzyme activities increasing and the green arrows indicate the results in the present research.In the drought-resistant maize cultivar, Yedan No. 13, D.S. induced the increases in activities of ADC, SAMDC and TGase. By the action of ADC, free Put level increased. Then in quick succession, free Put could be effectively transformed into free Spd/Spm and bound Put by catalysis of SAMDC and TGase, respectively. Free Spd/Spm and bound Put helped in tolerance of maize plants towards D.S., as judged by the indexes of ear leaf relative water content and plasma membrane permeability, 1000-grain weight and grain number per ear. [Display omitted] • Drought stress increases free putrescine in filling grains in drought tolerant and sensitive cultivar. • Free putrescine transformation to free spermidine, spermine and bound putrescine elevates the resistance. • Free putrescine cannot be effectively transformed in sensitive cultivar under drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]