The Effects of Phosphate Starvation on the Activities of Acid and Alkaline Phosphatase, Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, Sucrose-phosphate Synthase and Nitrate Reductase in Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Seedlings

Abstract

Plants response to phosphate starvation include the changes of activity of some enzymes, such as phosphatases, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, sucrose-phosphate synthase and nitrate reductase. In this study, to determine the effects of phosphate starvation on the change of activities of acid and alkaline phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, sucrose-phosphate synthase, and nitrate reductase were studied in melon seedlings (Cucumis melo L.). The content of the protein and chlorophyll tended to relatively reduced in melon seedlings subjected to phosphate starvation. Acid phosphatase activity in first and second leaves of melon seedlings was relatively higher than that of third and fourth leaves of seedlings in 14 days after phosphate starvation treatment, respectively. Active native-PAGE band patterns of acid phosphatase in melon leaves showed similar to activities of acid phosphatase, whereas alkaline phosphatase activity was different from the change in the activity of acid phosphatase. Inorganic phosphate content in melon seedlings leaves was constant. The changes of Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and sucrose phosphate synthase activities showed similar patterns in melon seedlings leaves, and between these enzymes activities and phosphate nutrition negatively related. Fructose-1,6- bisphosphatase and sucrose phosphate synthase activities showed significant difference in second and fourth leaves, but nitrate reductase showed significant difference in first and second leaves in 14days after phosphate starvation treatment. We concluded that phosphate nutrition could affect the distribution of phosphate, carbon and nitrogen in melon seedlings.