Enzymatic activity and gene expression related to drought stress tolerance in maize seeds and seedlings

Milena Christy Santos; Édila Vilela de Resende Von Pinho; Heloisa Oliveira dos Santos; Danielle Rezende Vilela; Izabel Costa Silva Neta; Viviane Maria de Abreu; Renato Coelho de Castro Vasconcellos

doi:10.14393/BJ-v37n0a2021-53953

Authors

Milena Christy Santos Helix Sementes e Mudas
Édila Vilela de Resende Von Pinho Universidade Federal de Lavras
Heloisa Oliveira dos Santos Universidade Federal de Lavras https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1384-4969
Danielle Rezende Vilela Universidade Federal de Lavras https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4161-5154
Izabel Costa Silva Neta Helix sementes
Viviane Maria de Abreu Bayer Crop Science https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0798-1556
Renato Coelho de Castro Vasconcellos Embrapa Cassava and Fruits https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2610-601X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14393/BJ-v37n0a2021-53953

Keywords:

Abiotic stress , Proteomic, RT-qPCR, Zea mays.

Abstract

Drought stress is a major limiting factor for the development of maize, and the identification of the expression of genes related to this stress in seeds and seedlings can be an important tool to accelerate the selection process. The expression of genes related to tolerance to water deficit in seeds and in different tissues of maize seedlings were evaluated. Four tolerant genotypes (91-T, 32-T, 91x75-T, 32x75-T) and four non-tolerant genotypes (37-NT, 57-NT, 37x57-NT and 31x37-NT) were seeded in a substrate with 10% (stress) and 70% (control) water retention capacity. The expression of 4 enzymes were evaluated: catalase (CAT), peroxidase (PO), esterase (EST), and heat-resistant protein (HRP), as well as the relative expression of 6 genes: ZmLEA3, ZmPP2C, ZmCPK11, ZmDREB2A/2.1s, ZmDBP3 and ZmAN13 were evaluated in seed, shoots and roots of seedlings submitted or not to stress. There was variation in the expression of CAT, PO, SOD, EST and HRP enzymes among the evaluated genotypes and also in the different tissues evaluated. Higher expression of the CAT and PO was observed in the shoots. There was a greater expression of the EST in the genotypes non-tolerant to water deficit. HRP was expressed only in seeds. In the aerial part of maize seedlings, classified as tolerant, higher expression of genes ZmLEA3 and ZmCPK11 was observed. There was a higher expression of the ZmAN13 and ZmDREB2A/2.1S genes in roots developed under stress conditions and a higher expression of the ZmPP2C gene in seeds of line 91-T, which is classified as tolerant to drought stress.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

ABREU, V.M., et al. Combining ability and heterosis of maize genotypes under water stress during seed germination and seedling emergence. Crop Science. 2018, 59(1), 33-43. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2018.03.0161

ABREU, V.M., et al. Indirect selection for drought tolerance in maize through agronomic and seeds traits. Revista Brasileira de Milho e Sorgo. 2017, 16(2), 287-296. https://doi.org/10.18512/1980-6477/rbms.v16n2p287-296

ALFENAS, A.C. Eletroforese de isoenzimas e proteínas afins: fundamentos e aplicações em plantas e microrganismos. 2 ª ed. Viçosa, MG: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2006.

ANDRADE, T., et al. Physiological quality and gene expression related to heat-resistant proteins at different stages of development of maize seeds. Genetics and Molecular Research. 2013, 12(3), 3630-3642. https://doi.org/10.4238/2013.September.13.7

BOUCHER, V., et al. MtPM25 is an atypical hydrophobic late embryogenesis‐abundant protein that dissociates cold and desiccation‐aggregated proteins. Plant, cell & environment. 2010, 33(3), 418-430. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3040.2009.02093.x

CAVERZAN, A., et al. Plant responses to stresses: role of ascorbate peroxidase in the antioxidant protection. Genetics and molecular biology. 2012, 35(4), 1011-1019. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-47572012000600016

CHAI, Q., et al. Regulated deficit irrigation for crop production under drought stress. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. 2016, 36(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-015-0338-6

CHOUDHURY, F.K., et al. Reactive oxygen species, abiotic stress and stress combination. The Plant Journal. 2016, 90(5), 856-867. https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13299

DEUNER, C., et al. Viabilidade e atividade antioxidante de sementes de genótipos de feijão miúdo submetidos ao estresse salino. Revista Brasileira de Sementes. 2011, 33(4), 711-720. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-31222011000400013

DUTRA, S.M.F., et al. Genes related to high temperature tolerance during maize seed germination. Genetics and Molecular Research. 2015, 14(4), 18047-18058. https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.December.22.31

FINCH-SAVAGE, W.E., BASSEL, G.W. Seed vigour and crop establishment: extending performance beyond adaptation. Journal of Experimental Botany. 2016, 67(3), 567-591. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erv490

HU, X., et al. Enhanced tolerance to low temperature in tobacco by over-expression of a new maize protein phosphatase 2C, ZmPP2C2. Journal of plant physiology. 2010, 167(15), 1307-1315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2010.04.014

HUSSAIN, H.A., et al. Interactive effects of drought and heat stresses on morpho-physiological attributes, yield, nutrient uptake and oxidative status in maize hybrids. Scientific reports. 2019, 9(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-40362-7

KOUSSEVITZKY, S., et al. Ascorbate peroxidase 1 plays a key role in the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to stress combination. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2008, 283(49), 34197–34203. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M806337200

KRAMER, P.J, 1983. Water deficits and plant growth. In.: KRAMER, P.J. (ed). Water relations of plants. New York: Academic Press, pp. 342-389.

LIU, T., et al. Identification of proteins regulated by ABA in response to combined drought and heat stress in maize roots. Acta physiologiae plantarum. 2013, 35(2), 501-513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-012-1092-x

LIU, Y., et al. A maize early responsive to dehydration gene, ZmERD4, provides enhanced drought and salt tolerance in Arabidopsis. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter. 2009, 27(4), 542-548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11105-009-0119-y

LIVAK, K.J. and SCMITTGEN, T.D. Analysis of relative gene expression data using real-time quantitative PCR and the 2(-Delta Delta Ct) Method. Methods, 2001, 25(4), 402-408. https://doi.org/10.1006/meth.2001.1262

MARCOS-FILHO, J. Fisiologia de sementes de plantas cultivadas. Londrina: ABRATES, 2015.

MARQUES, T.L., et. al. Expression of ZmLEA3, AOX2 and ZmPP2C genes in maize lines associated with tolerance to water deficit. Ciência e Agrotecnologia. 2019, 43, e022519. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-7054201943022519

MARUYAMA, K., et al. Metabolic pathways involved in cold acclimation identified by integrated analysis of metabolites and transcripts regulated by DREB1A and DREB2A. Plant physiology. 2009, 150(4), 1972-1980. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.109.135327

MILLER, G., et al. Reactive oxygen species homeostasis and signalling during drought and salinity stresses. Plant, Cell & Environment. 2010, 33(4), 453-467. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3040.2009.02041.x

PFAFFL, M.W. A new mathematical model for relative quantification in realtime RT–PCR. Nucleic Acids Research. 2001, 29(9), e45-e45. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/29.9.e45

PINHEIRO, H.A., et al. Drought tolerance is associated with rooting depth and stomatal control of water use in clones of Coffea canephora. Annals of Botany. 2005, 96(1), 101-108. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mci154

RIBAUT, J.M., BETRAN, J., MONNEVEUX, P. and SETTER, T., 2009. Drought tolerance in maize. In BENNETZEN, J.L. and HAKE, S.C. (Ed.). Handbook of maize: its biology). New York: Springer, pp. 311-344.

RODRÍGUEZ-GAMIR, J., et al. Citrus rootstock responses to water stress. Scientia horticulturae. 2010, 126(2), 95-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2010.06.015

SANTOS, C.M.R., et al. Modificações fisiológicas e bioquímicas em sementes de feijão no armazenamento. Revista Brasileira de Sementes. 2005, 27(1), 104-114. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0101-31222005000100013

SCHOLDBERG, T.A., et al. Evaluating precision and accuracy when quantifying different endogenous control reference genes in maize using real-time PCR. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. 2009, 57(7), 2903-2911. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf803599t

SHAO, H., LIANG, Z. and SHAO, M. LEA proteins in higher plants: structure, function, gene expression and regulation. Colloids and surfaces B: Biointerfaces. 2005, 45(3-4), 131-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2005.07.017

SILVA NETA, I.C., et al. Expression of genes related to tolerance to low temperature for maize seed germination. Genetics and Molecular Research. 2015, 14(1), 2674-2690. https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.March.30.28

SZCZEGIELNIAK, J., et al. A wound-responsive and phospholipid-regulated maize calcium-dependent protein kinase. Plant physiology. 2005, 139(4), 1970-1983. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.105.066472

TAIZ, L. and ZEIGER, E. Fisiologia Vegetal. 5ª ed. Porto Alegre, RS: Artmed, 2013.

WANG, C. and DONG, Y. Overexpression of maize ZmDBP3 enhances tolerance to drought and cold stress in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Biologia. 2009, 64(6), 1108-1114. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-009-0198-0

WANG, W., VINOCUR, B. and ALTMAN, A. Plant responses to drought, salinity and extreme temperatures: towards genetic engineering for stress tolerance. Planta. 2003, 218(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1105-5

XIONG, L., SCHUMAKER, K.S. and ZHU, J.K. Cell Signaling during Cold, Drough, and Salt Stress. The Plant Cell.2002, 14(1), 165-183. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.000596

XUAN, N., et al. A putative maize zinc-finger protein gene, ZmAN13, participates in abiotic stress response. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC). 2011, 107(1), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-011-9962-2

ZHOU, M.L., et al. Aldehyde dehydrogenase protein superfamily in maize. Functional & integrative genomics. 2012, 12(4), 683-691. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10142-012-0290-3