Transcript levels of genes encoding various glycolytic and fermentation enzymes change in response to abiotic stresses

Abstract

Transcript levels of several enzymes of glycolytic and alcohol fermentation pathway were examined in shoot and root tissues of rice seedlings subjected to different abiotic stresses, by Northern blotting employing homologous DNA probes. Intact seedlings were subjected to stress conditions for varied intervals of time. Increased alcohol dehydrogenase transcripts were noted in response to cold, desiccation, salt (NaCl) and high temperature stresses, apart from O₂ deprivation stress. Pyruvate decarboxylase transcript levels increased appreciably in response to O₂ deprivation stress but no such increase was noted in response to other stresses. Selective alterations were noted with respect to triose phosphate isomerase induction in response to desiccation, salt and high temperature stresses, aldolase transcript in response to desiccation and salt stresses, glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase transcript in response to salt stress, enolase transcript in response to desiccation stress, glucose phosphate isomerase transcript in response to high temperature stress and pyruvate kinase transcript in response to salt stress. Evidently, glycolytic and alcohol fermentation enzymes have a sufficient degree of flexibility to adjust to increased energy demand and supply of intermediates, for acclimatising to stress conditions.