Spermidine pretreatment enhances heat tolerance in rice seedlings through modulating antioxidative and glyoxalase systems

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate the possible involvement of the antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems in protecting rice seedlings from heat-induced damage in the presence of spermidine (Spd). Hydroponically grown 14-day-old seedlings were subjected to foliar spray with Spd (1 mM, 24 h) prior to heat stress (42 °C, 48 h) followed by subsequent recovery (27 °C, 48 h). Lipoxygenase activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and proline (Pro) content increased significantly whereas fresh weight (FW) and chlorophyll (Chl) content decreased during heat stress and after recovery, indicating unrecoverable damage to rice seedlings. Heat-induced damage was also evident in decreased levels of ascorbate (AsA), glutathione (GSH), and AsA and GSH redox ratios. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities increased during heat stress but declined after recovery. Activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and glutathione reductase (GR) decreased during heat stress but an opposite trend for most of these enzymes was observed after recovery. Heat stress also resulted in significant increases in the activities of glyoxalase enzymes (Gly I and Gly II). In contrast, exogenous Spd protected rice seedlings from heat-induced damage as marked by lower levels of MDA, H2O2, and Pro content coupled with increased levels of AsA, GSH, FW, Chl, and AsA and GSH redox status. After recovery, Spd-pretreated heat-exposed seedlings displayed higher activities of SOD, CAT, GPX, GST APX, DHAR and GR as well as of Gly I and Gly II. In addition, polyamine analysis revealed that exogenously applied Spd significantly elevated the levels of free and soluble conjugated Spd. Therefore, we conclude from our results that heat exposure provoked an oxidative burden while enhancement of the antioxidative and glyoxalase systems by Spd rendered rice seedlings more tolerant to heat stress. Further, co-induction of the antioxidative and glyoxalase systems was closely associated with Spd mediated enhanced level of GSH.