Sorbitol and NaCl stresses affect free, microsome-associated and thylakoid-associated polyamine content in Zea mays and Phaseolus vulgaris

Most of commercially important crops, including maize and common bean, are sensitive to water deficit and salinity. Polyamines are considered to be osmotic and salt tolerance modulators and biochemical indicators of these stresses. In the present study, we measured organ-specific changes in levels of free, microsome- and thylakoid-associated polyamines in leaves and roots of maize and common bean plants exposed for 24 h to osmotic and saline stresses. Putrescine levels were generally higher in the studied organs of both species and under both stresses; only in the roots of salt-treated bean it considerably decreased. In both species, salt stress (200 mM NaCl) induced a significant decrease in free spermidine in roots. We observed a significant decrease in the contents of all polyamines associated with the microsomes isolated from the roots of maize and bean growing in sorbitol and salt conditions. Also the microsomes isolated from the leaves of stressed plants were characterized by the lower contents of polyamines. Our data showed a reduction of putrescine content, with significantly decreased spermidine and spermine levels in thylakoids isolated from the chloroplasts of maize and bean plants growing under both stresses. The results indicate that the studied maize and bean cultivars are rather drought-sensitive. Additionally, microsome- and thylakoid-associated polyamines seem to be good markers of plant stress tolerance.