Wounding induces changes in tuber polyamine content, polyamine metabolic gene expression, and enzyme activity during closing layer formation and initiation of wound periderm formation

Tuber wound-healing processes are complex, and the associated regulation and modulation of these processes are poorly understood. Polyamines (PA) are involved in modulating a variety of responses to biotic and abiotic plant stresses and have been suggested to be involved in tuber wound responses. However, the time course of wound-induced changes in tuber PA content, activity of key biosynthetic enzymes and associated gene expression has not been determined and coordinated with major wound-healing processes. The objective of this study was to determine these wound-induced changes and their coordination with wound-healing processes. Wounding induced increases in putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd), but had only minor effects on spermine (Spm) content during the 168 h time course which encompassed the initiation and completion of the closing layer formation, and the initiation of cell division and wound periderm formation. As determinants of the first committed step in PA biosynthesis, arginine and ornithine decarboxylase (ADC and ODC, respectively) activities were below levels of detectability in resting tubers and expression of genes encoding these two enzymes was low. Within 6 h of wounding, increases in the in vitro activities of ADC and ODC and expression of their cognate genes were observed. Expression of a gene encoding S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, required for Spd and Spm biosynthesis, was also increased 6 h after wounding and remained elevated throughout the time course. Expression of a polyamine catabolic gene, encoding polyamine oxidase, was down-regulated after wounding. Results indicated a rapid wound-induced increase in PA biosynthesis during closing layer formation and the time of nuclei entry and exit from S-phase. PA content remained elevated as wound-induced cells became meristematic and initiated formation of the wound periderm suggesting sustained involvement in wound-healing.