Activity of antioxidant enzymes in chloroplasts of transgenic plants of wheat with double-stranded RNA-suppressor of the prolindehydrogenase gene

Abstract

Aim. To investigate the activity of antioxidant enzymes in chloroplasts of transgenic wheat plants variety Zymoyarka containing a double-stranded RNA-suppressor of the proline dehydrogenase gene. Methods. Spectrophotometrical determination of the activity of enzymes. Results. Under physiological conditions, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in transgenic plants significantly exceeded these indices in non-transgenic forms. Under soil drought, the activity of SOD in transgenic plants decreased significantly and amounted to only 70 % of the activity of this enzyme in control plants, the activity of APX was 12 % lower than that of control. The water deficit increased sharply (4–5 times) the level of free L-proline in transgenic wheat plants with reduced activity pdh. Conclusions. Biotechnological plants of wheat with increased activity of SOD and APX under optimum conditions can be characterized by increased adaptive plasticity compared to plants of original variety with lower activity of the enzymes. The increased activity of antioxidant enzymes may be a prerequisite for increasing the tolerance of these plants to stressors of different origins.
 Keywords: Triticum aestivum L., transgenic plants, double-stranded RNA-suppressor of the proline dehydrogenase gene, L-proline, antioxidant enzymes.