Regulation of Glyine max Ornithine Decarboxylase by Salt and Spermine

We examined the effect of CsCl and spermlne on the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a key enzyme in polyamine synthesis form Glycine max axes. Transcription of the ODC gene was induced by 0.1 and 1 mM of CsCl, and the amount of putrescine was increased 3.5-fold by 1 mM CsCl treatment. Spermine also induced the expression of the ODC gene in a dose dependent manner. However, CsCl provoked an increase in the active phosphorylated ERK (pERK), a central element of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. Our data demonstrates an interaction between the ODC induction and the MAPK signaling pathway, and suggests that the latter may be involved in cell signaling in salt-stressed plants.