EFFECT OF METHYL JASMONATE ON THE GENE EXPRESSION, ENCODING NON-PROTEIN THIOL ENZYMES IN WHEAT UNDER CADMIUM

The effect of the phytohormone – methyl jasmonate (MJ) on the expression of the TaGS1 and TaPCS1 genes encoding glutathione synthetase and phytochelatin synthase, respectively, which are key enzymes in the synthesis of glutathione and phytochelatins in wheat (var. Moskovskaya 39), was studied. For the first time, it has been shown, that pretreatment of plants by exogenous MJ (1 μM) leads to an increase in the accumulation of transcripts of the TaGS1 and TaPCS1 genes in leaves without cadmium effect. When cadmium (CdSO₄, 100 μM) was added into the nutrient solution, the transcript level of TaGS1 gene increased in plants pretreated by MJ (compared to untreated plants), while the transcript level of TaPCS1 remained unaffected. The pretreatment of plants by MJ leads to a lower accumulation of cadmium in the roots and leaves of wheat. At the same time, MJ had no effect on the linear growth parameters of plants, but had a positive effect on the accumulation of biomass under cadmium. It has been suggested that MJ is involved in plant tolerance to cadmium by increasing the expression of the TaGS1 and TaPCS1 genes and, as a result, enhancing the synthesis of chelating compounds, as well as by reducing the supply of metal ions to plants.