ALTERATION OF GENE-EXPRESSION BY JASMONATE AND ABA IN TOBACCO AND TOMATO

The synthesis of jasmonate-induced proteins in leaves of tobacco (Nico tiana plumbaginifolia) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) was studie d in order to find a possible functional link in the actions of abscis ic acid (ABA) and jasmonates. ABA-deficient mutants of tobacco (CKR1) and of tomato (sitiens, flacca), and their corresponding wild-types, w ere compared with respect to endogenous contents of jasmonates and ABA , and polypeptide and transcript patterns in water- or jasmonate-float ed leaves, leaves stressed by floating on sorbitol, or by weak desicca tion. Our results indicate that in tobacco the synthesis of proteins i nduced by jasmonate differed from those induced by ABA, whereas in tom ato some jasmonate-induced proteins were also induced by ABA. The resu lts provide further evidence that different signalling pathways exist for jasmonate/ABA-responsive gene expression in various plant species.