Free prolin content in Arabidopsis thaliana Cat2 and Cat3 knockout mutants under salt stress

Abstract

Aim. In plants, the enzymatic and non-enzymatic environmental stress resistance mechanisms function in a concerted manner, but the role of specific isoforms of antioxidant enzymes and their relationship to low molecular weight protective compounds is poorly understood. To investigate this question free proline levels were compared under salt stress conditions in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and knockout mutants for the catalase genes Cat2 and Cat3. Methods. Free proline content was measured under various treatments of plants with sodium chloride. Results. It was shown that under salt stress conditions free proline increase is impaired in leaves of mutants lacking CAT2 and CAT3 activity. In addition, cat3 knockout line shows a reduced basal level of proline under non-stress conditions. Conclusions. Suppression of response to salt stress points to a possible link between the rearrangement of the antioxidant system in the Cat genes knockouts and the regulation of protective cellular response to salt stress.Key words: Arabidopsis thaliana, knockout mutants, catalase, proline, sodium chloride.