Effects of NaCl on element balance, peroxidase isozyme and protein banding patterns of Lycopersicon leaf cultures and regenerated shoots

Abstract

The responses of leaf callus cultures and differentiated shoots of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill and Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium Brezh to NaCl were studied. Addition of NaCl to the medium affected the balance of sodium, chloride, potassium and calcium significantly in regenerated shoots of the two species. L. pimpinellifolium showed a higher increase in sodium and less decrease in potassium and in the Na Ca ratio than cultivated tomato both in leaves and stems of regenerated shoots. Both species tested had identical peroxidase isozyme bands ( R f 0.49, 0.64 and 0.68). During in vitro culture, two bands ( R f 0.49 and 0.64) were much more abundant and one band ( R f 0.38) was unique for both leaf cultures and regenerated shoots. NaCl did not affect the peroxidase isozyme bands. L. esculentum differed from L. pimpinellifolium in possessing three dense-staining protein bands (66000, 58000 and 56000 Da). During in vitro culture, the two species displayed identical protein bands. Four bands (46000, 44000, 40000 and 36000 Da) were much more abundant, and two bands (32000 and 26000 Da) were unique to leaf cultures and regenerated shoots. NaCl did not induce change of protein bands except that one band (41000 Da) was unique to regenerated shoots of the two species under salt-stressed conditions.