Effect of Poly(γ-glutamic acid) on the Physiological Responses and Calcium Signaling of Rape Seedlings (Brassica napus L.) under Cold Stress
- 1 December 2015
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Chemical Society (ACS) in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
- Vol. 63 (48), 10399-10406
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b04523
Abstract
Cold stress adversely affects plant growth and development. Poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) is a potential plant growth regulator that may be an effective cryoprotectant that prevents crops from damage during cold weather. In this study, the effects of γ-PGA on the physiological responses of rape seedlings subject to cold stress were investigated using hydroponic experiments. We determined that the malondialdehyde content was decreased by 33.4% and the proline content was increased by 62.5% by γ-PGA after 144 h under cold stress. Antioxidant enzymes activities were also evidently enhanced after treatment with γ-PGA. These responses counteracted increases in the fresh weight and chlorophyll content of rape seedlings, which increased by 24.5 and 50.9%, respectively, after 144 h, which meant that growth inhibition caused by cold was mitigated by γ-PGA. Our results also showed that γ-PGA also regulated Ca2+ concentrations in the cytoplasm and calcium-dependent protein kinases, which are associated with cold resistance. In conclusion, we suggest that the Ca2+/CPKs signal pathway is involved in the γ-PGA-mediated enhancement of cold resistance in rape seedlings.Keywords
Funding Information
- Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (2015AA020951)
- Jiangsu Province (15KJB530007, BY2014005-04, KYLX15_0811)
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (21506098)
- Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20150946)
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