Screening for effects of phytochemical variability on cytoplasmic protein synthesis pattern of crop plants.

Crop plants have to cope with phytochemical variability along with other environmental stresses. Allelochemicals affect several cellular processes. We tested the effect of toxic aqueous leachates from Sicyos deppei, Acacia sedillense, Sebastiania adenophora, and Lantana camara on the radicle growth and cytoplasmic protein synthesis patterns of Zea mays (maize), Phaseolus vulgaris (bean), Cucurbita pepo (squash), and Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato). 2D-PAGE and gel scan densitometry analysis were used to detect differences in cytoplasmic root protein pattern expression. High-, medium-, and low-molecular-weight cytoplasmic proteins were affected by the different aqueous leachates. Crop plant responses were diverse, but in general, an increase in protein synthesis was observed in the treated roots. Maize was the least affected, but both the radicle growth and also the protein pattern of tomato were severely inhibited by all allelopathic plants. The changes observed in protein expression may indicate a biochemical alteration at the cellular level of the tested crop plants.