J. Vahala et al., INDUCTION OF AN ACC SYNTHASE CDNA BY OZONE IN LIGHT-GROWN ARABIDOPSIS-THALIANA LEAVES, Physiologia Plantarum, 103(1), 1998, pp. 45-50
The rate-limiting enzyme in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway is 1-ami
nocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase. We have investigated an o
zone (O-3)-induced ACC synthase gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. Four pre
viously reported ACC synthase genes from A. thaliana (ACS1, ACS2, ACS4
and ACS5) were nor induced in response to O-3 stress. An O-3-induced
1098-bp cDNA encoding ACC synthase was isolated from foliage of A. tha
liana; this sequence was identical to that of ACS6 which could be indu
ced by multiple stimuli including touch. When plants were treated with
350 nl l(-1) of O-3 for 2 or 6 h; the evolution of ethylene became ma
ximal after 1.5 h and gradually decreased thereafter. Similarly, the m
RNA transcript of O-3-induced ACC synthase was detected after 30 min o
f exposure, attained a maximum level after 1 h, and then declined. Vis
ible damage in O-3-treated plants was observed at the end of the 2-h e
xposure. This ACC synthase gene in A. thaliana provides a useful tool
for studying O-3-induced responses related to ethylene production at t
he molecular and genetic levels.