Abstract
Anaerobic treatment dramatically alters the patterns of gene expression in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings. During anaerobiosis there is an immediate repression of pre-existing protein synthesis, with the concurrent initiation of a selective synthesis of approx. 20 proteins. Among these anaerobic proteins are enzymes involved in glycolysis and related processes. However, inducible genes that have different functions were also found; these may function in other, perhaps more long-term, processes of adaptations to flooding, such as aerenchyma formation and root-tip death. In this article we review our recent work on maize responses to flooding stress, which has addressed two questions: how are these gene expression changes initiated and how do they lead to adaptation to flooding stress? Our results indicate that an early rise in cytosolic Ca2+, as well as a quick establishment of ionic homeostasis, may be essential for the induction of adaptive changes at the cellular as well as organismal level.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 119-127 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Annals of botany |
Volume | 91 |
Issue number | SPEC. ISS. JAN. |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2003 |
Keywords
- Aerenchyma
- Anoxia
- Calcium
- Flooding tolerance
- Glutamate decarboxylase
- Ionic homeostasis
- Maize (Zea mays L.)
- Protease
- Review
- Root tip death
- Signal transduction
- Sucrose synthase
- XET
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Plant Science