Seasonal changes of polyamines in habitat adaptation of different ecotypes of reed plants

The leaves of four reed ecotypes (Phragmites communis Trinius) growing in the desert regions of northwest China were investigated for levels of polyamines and activity of arginine decarboxylase (ADC; EC 4.1.1.19) during the growing season of 5 months. The polyamines in the leaves of all reed ecotypes consisted of putrescine, spermidine and spermine. The polyamine levels of the leaves were lower in the swamp reed than in the terrestrial reed ecotypes. Leaf polyamine levels decreased in all ecotypes over the course of the season. Compared to the swamp reed, the terrestrial reed ecotypes maintained higher ADC activity and a predominance of spermine, resulting in a lower ratio of putrescine to spermidine and spermine. It seems that the adaptation of reed plants to drought and saline habitats may be correlated with putrescine synthesis via the ADC pathway, and with a successful conversion of putrescine to spermidine and spermine.