Effect of Iron Deficiency on RNA and Protein Synthesis in Cucumber Roots

Abstract

Strategy I is a multifaceted mechanism developed by plants to overcome iron deficiency. Beyond the main responses based on the Fe(III) reduction and rhizosphere acidification, there are other morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses that enable plants belonging to this class to respond in a more complex way to iron starvation. Most of these responses are catalyzed by enzymes, so the synthesis of mRNA and protein must occur rapidly to support these changes. Increase in the Fe(III) reductase and H⁺‐ATPase activities at the plasma membrane level, increase in some respiration enzymes and of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) are well acknowledged. In this paper we provide more direct evidence that both RNA and protein synthesis are increased under Fe deficiency and that the protein synthesis machinery is better developed in this condition. This hypothesis seems to be sustained also by the greater availability of free aminoacids and in particular of aspartate and glutamate in Fe deficient plant roots.

Keywords:

• Cucumis sativus
• Fe‐deficiency
• Polysomes

Acknowledgments

The research was supported by MURST, Cofin 2000 to G. Z.