A Comparison of Oligogalacturonide- and Auxin-Induced Extracellular Alkalinization and Growth Responses in Roots of Intact Cucumber Seedlings

Mark D. Spiro ^*, Jonathan F. Bowers , and Daniel J. Cosgrove

Biology Department, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837 (M.D.S., J.F.B.); and Root Biology Program and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (M.D.S., D.J.C.)

^* Corresponding author; email: spiro{at}bucknell.edu.

Oligogalacturonic acid (OGA) affects plant growth and development in an antagonistic manner to that of the auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the mechanism by which remains to be determined. This study describes the relationship between IAA and OGA activity in intact cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seedlings. Both OGA and IAA induced rapid and transient extracellular alkalinization; however, the characteristics of the OGA and IAA responses differed in their kinetics, magnitude, calcium dependence, and region of the root in which they induced their maximal response. IAA (1 µM) induced a saturating alkalinization response of approximately 0.2 pH unit and a rapid reduction (approximately 80%) in root growth that only partially recovered over 20 h. OGAs, specifically those with a degree of polymerization of 10 to 13, induced a maximal alkalinization response of 0.48 pH units, but OGA treatment did not alter root growth. Saturating concentrations of OGA did not block IAA-induced alkalinization or the initial IAA-induced inhibition of root growth but allowed IAA-treated roots to recover their initial growth rate within 270 min. IAA-induced alkalinization occurs primarily in the growing apical region of the root, whereas OGA induced its maximal response in the basal region of the root. This study demonstrates that OGA and IAA act by distinct mechanisms and that OGA does not simply act by inhibition of IAA action. These results also suggest that IAA-induced extracellular alkalinization is not sufficient to account for the mechanism by which IAA inhibits root growth.

This article has been cited by other articles:

S. Ferrari, R. Galletti, D. Pontiggia, C. Manfredini, V. Lionetti, D. Bellincampi, F. Cervone, and G. De Lorenzo
Transgenic Expression of a Fungal endo-Polygalacturonase Increases Plant Resistance to Pathogens and Reduces Auxin Sensitivity
Plant Physiology, February 1, 2008; 146(2): 669 - 681.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

A. Decreux and J. Messiaen
Wall-associated Kinase WAK1 Interacts with Cell Wall Pectins in a Calcium-induced Conformation
Plant Cell Physiol., February 1, 2005; 46(2): 268 - 278.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

A. Liszkay, E. van der Zalm, and P. Schopfer
Production of Reactive Oxygen Intermediates (O2{middle dot}-, H2O2, and {middle dot}OH) by Maize Roots and Their Role in Wall Loosening and Elongation Growth
Plant Physiology, October 1, 2004; 136(2): 3114 - 3123.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]