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Cadmium-Induced Accumulation of Putrescine in Oat and Bean Leaves ¹

Boyce Thompson Institute, Tower Road, Ithaca, New York 14853, Department of Biology, Yale University, P.O. Box 6666, New Haven, Connecticut

The effects of Cd²⁺ on putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), and spermine (Spm) titers were studied in oat and bean leaves. Treatment with Cd²⁺ for up to 16 hours in the light or dark resulted in a large increase in Put titer, but had little or no effect on Spd or Spm. The activity of arginine decarboxylase (ADC) followed the pattern of Put accumulation, and experiments with -difluoromethylarginine established that ADC was the enzyme responsible for Put increase. Concentrations of Cd²⁺ as low as 10 micromolar increased Put titer in oat segments. In bean leaves, there was a Cd²⁺-induced accumulation of Put in the free and soluble conjugated fractions, but not in the insoluble fraction. This suggests a rapid exchange between Put that exists in the free form and Put found in acid soluble conjugated forms. It is concluded that Cd²⁺ can act like certain other stresses (K⁺ and Mg²⁺ deficiency, excess NH₄⁺, low pH, salinity, osmotic stress, wilting) to induce substantial increases in Put in plant cells.

¹ Supported by grants to A. W. Galston from National Institutes of Health and BARD (U.S.-Israel Binational Research and Development Fund).

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