Effect of Ethylene Producer Ethrel and Antioxidant Ionol (BHT) on the Proteolytic Apparatus in Coleoptiles of Wheat Seedlings during Apoptosis

L. I. Fedoreyeva, N. I. Aleksandrushkina, Ya. E. Dunaevsky, M. A. Belozersky, and B. F. Vanyushin^*

Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia; fax: (095) 939-3181; E-mail: vanyush@belozersky.msu.ru

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received March 18, 2002; Revision received April 9, 2002

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It was established that total proteolytic activity in etiolated wheat seedlings changes in ontogenesis in cycles: peaks of proteolytic activity correspond to the 3rd, 5th, and 8th days of seedling growth, respectively. The maximum of proteolytic activity preceded the maximum of nuclease activity, which may be due to activation of nucleases by proteolytic enzymes. According to inhibitory analysis the cysteine and serine proteases play the main role in apoptosis in wheat coleoptiles. Growing of seedlings in the presence of ethrel stimulated apoptosis in the coleoptile, and it increased (almost 6-fold) the proteolytic activity in its cells. On the other hand, the antioxidant ionol (BHT) suppressed the induction of proteases, particularly at the second stage of coleoptile development, and it slowed down the increase in the nuclease activity after 6th day of the seedling life. It is suggested that phytohormones and antioxidants participate in regulation of apoptosis in the ageing coleoptile, directly or indirectly effecting the proteolytic apparatus in the coleoptile cells.

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KEY WORDS: antioxidant, apoptosis, BHT, ethrel, ethylene, ontogenesis, plants, proteases, wheat

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