title: Boron deficiency increases putrescine levels in tobacco plants.
abstract: Polyamine concentrations were determined in leaves and roots of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) subjected to a short-term boron deficiency. A decrease in the growth of shoots and, especially, roots was found under this mineral deficiency. Boron deficiency did not lead to a significant decrease in leaf or root ion concentrations when compared to control treatment; however, as expected, leaf boron concentration was lower in boron-deficient plants in comparison to the control. In leaves, the levels of free putrescine and spermidine were similar in both treatments. In roots, a short-term boron deficiency caused an increase in free putrescine. Moreover, boron-deficient plants had higher conjugated polyamine concentration than boron-sufficient plants, which was especially evident for conjugated putrescine in leaves. A possible link between boron and polyamine levels is proposed and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, E-41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Camacho-Cristóbal
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonzláez-Fontes
mesh_terms: D001895:Boron / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development; D011700:Putrescine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013095:Spermidine / Q000378:metabolism; D013096:Spermine / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D013096:Spermine; D001895:Boron; D013095:Spermidine; D011700:Putrescine