Activity of carbon metabolism enzymes in wheat plants treated with kartolin-4 and exposed to water stress

Abstract

Enzymatic activities of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) (EC 4.1.1.39), phospho(enol)pyruvate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.31), NAD malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37), and NADP glyceraldehydephosphate dehydrogenase complex including phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2.7.2.3) and glyceraldehydephosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.13) were comparatively assayed in wheat seedlings of the cultivar Lyutestsens 758 grown under normal conditions, water deficiency conditions, and subsequent rehydration. Water stress was found to decrease the activity of all enzymes tested, the effect being most pronounced in case of Rubisco. The content of Rubisco in wheat plants exposed to water deficiency was reduced less significantly than the activity of the enzyme. Preliminary treatment of plant seeds with kartolin-4 (o-isopropyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl carbamate), a preparation with cytokinin activity, reduced the dehydration-induced inhibition of enzymatic activity. Upon a subsequent rehydration, kartolin-4 facilitated rapid recovery of the photosynthetic activity, the process being based on the kartolin-induced stimulation of reparation reactions. Under conditions of water stress, a partial decrease in the activity of carbon metabolism enzymes in vitro was accompanied by complete inhibition of photosynthesis in vivo, perhaps, as a result of an abrupt increase in the stomatal resistance.