Jasmonates induce over-accumulation of methylputrescine and conjugated polyamines in Hyoscyamus muticus L. root cultures

Jasmonic acid (JA) and its methyl ester (MeJA) at concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 10 mu M provoked large increases in methylputrescine levels in normal and hairy roots of Hyoscyamus muticus L.; generally, levels of free putrescine and perchloric acid-soluble conjugated putrescine, spermidine and spermine also increased dramatically. More C-14-putrescine was formed when hairy roots were incubated with labelled ornithine than with arginine; conjugated C-14- putrescine was also rapidly formed. In accord with these results, ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17) activity was higher than that of arginine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.19), and MeJA enhanced these activities about two- and fourfold, respectively. Although treatment of root cultures with jasmonates enhanced precursor (putrescine, methylputrescine) levels and accumulation of secondary metabolites such as acid-soluble conjugated di-/polyamines, it provoked only modest increases in tropane alkaloid tissue levels.