title: Polyamine metabolism in maize tumors induced by Ustilago maydis.
abstract: Alterations occurring in polyamine metabolism of maize in tumors formed during the interaction with the biotrophic pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis were analyzed. During the process, a striking increase in maize polyamine biosynthesis, mainly free and conjugated putrescine occurred in the tumors induced by the fungus, and in the neighbor plant tissues. This increase correlated with an activation mainly of Adc, Samdc1, Zmsamdc2 and Zmsamdc3, but not of Zmodc, Zmspds1 and Zmspds2 genes, and an elevation in arginine decarboxylase activity, confirming a predominant role of this enzyme in the process. Evidences for a possible contribution of spermidine and spermine degradation by polyamine oxidase activity, probably related to cell wall stiffening or lignification during tumor growth, were also obtained. It is suggested that polyamines, mainly putrescine, might play an active role in the pathosystem maize-U. maydis.
authors.affiliation: División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa de San José 2055, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Kessler
authors.forename: Oscar A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maiale
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Herrera
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Bremont
mesh_terms: D002262:Carboxy-Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors / Q000378:metabolism; D010941:Plant Tumors / Q000382:microbiology*; D011700:Putrescine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014588:Ustilago / Q000254:growth & development*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D000097667:Polyamine Oxidase
chemical_list: D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; D011700:Putrescine; D018749:RNA, Plant; D000097667:Polyamine Oxidase; C019722:arginine decarboxylase