Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Measuring Gene Expression in Bombarded Barley Aleurone Layers with Increased Throughput
Published on: March 30, 2018
Nitric oxide mediates brassinosteroid-induced ABA biosynthesis involved in oxidative stress tolerance in maize leaves
Aying Zhang1, Jun Zhang, Jianhua Zhang
1College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
The role of ABA in brassinosteroid (BR)-induced stress tolerance and the relationship between BR, nitric oxide (NO) and ABA under water stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) were investigated in leaves of maize (Zea mays) plants. Water stress led to oxidative damage. Pre-treatment with the BR biosynthetic inhibitor brassinazole (Brz) aggravated the oxidative damage induced by PEG treatment, which was alleviated by the application of BR or ABA. Pre-treatment with the ABA biosynthetic inhibitor fluridone also aggravated the oxidative damage induced by PEG treatment; however, this was barely alleviated by the application of BR. BR treatment increased the content of ABA and up-regulated the expression of the ABA biosynthetic gene vp14 in maize leaves, which was blocked by pre-treatments with the NO scavenger cPTIO (2,4-carboxyphenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide) and the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor l-NAME (N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester. Moreover, BR treatment induced increases in the generation of NO in mesophyll cells of maize leaves, and treatment with the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) up-regulated the content of ABA and the expression of vp14 in maize leaves. Our results suggest that BR-induced NO production and NO-activated ABA biosynthesis are important mechanisms for BR-enhanced water stress tolerance in leaves of maize plants.
Related Concept Videos
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
Responses to Salt Stress
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Cell Signaling in Plants
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress

