Transcript levels of genes encoding various glycolytic and fermentation enzymes change in response to abiotic stresses

Transcript levels of several enzymes of glycolytic and alcohol fermentation pathway were examined in shoot and root tissues of rice seedlings subjecte d to different abiotic stresses, by Northern blotting employing homologous DNA probes. Intact seedlings were subjected to stress conditions for varied intervals of time. Increased alcohol dehydrogenase transcripts were noted in response to cold, desiccation, salt (NaCl) and high temperature stresses , apart from O-2 deprivation stress. Pyruvate decarboxylase transcript leve ls increased appreciably in response to O-2 deprivation stress but no such increase was noted in response to other stresses. Selective alterations wer e noted with respect to triose phosphate isomerase induction in response to desiccation, salt and high temperature stresses, aldolase transcript in re sponse to desiccation and salt stresses, glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydroge nase transcript in response to salt stress, enolase transcript in response to desiccation stress, glucose phosphate isomerase transcript in response t o high temperature stress and pyruvate kinase transcript in response to sal t stress. Evidently, glycolytic and alcohol fermentation enzymes have a suf ficient degree of flexibility to adjust to increased energy demand and supp ly of intermediates, for acclimatising to stress conditions. (C) 1999 Elsev ier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.