Polyamines and jasmonic acid induce plasma membrane potential variations in Lima bean.

Exogenous polyamines [cadaverine (Cad), putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm)] elicit the production of volatiles in Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus). Among the tested PAs, Spm induces the production of some volatile terpenoids that are known to be induced by the spider mite Tetranychus urticae. Spm treatment elicits the biosynthesis of Jasmonic acid (JA), a phytohormone known to regulate the production of the volatile terpenoids. The treatment with JA together with Spm resulted in the increased volatile emission, and predatory mites Phytoseiulus persimilis preferred JA and Spm-treated leaves over those treated with JA alone. JA and Spm treatment has no effects on polyamine oxidase (PAO) and Cu-amine oxidase (CuAO) but has a significant induction of calcium influx, ROS production, enzyme activities for NADPH-oxidase complex, superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase, and gene expressions except for NADPH-oxidase complex. Here, we report that a plasma membrane potential (V(m)) depolarization was observed after polyamine perfusion with an increasing trend: Spm, Cad, Put and Spd. JA perfusion did not alter V(m) but the perfusion of JA and the polyamines significantly increased Cad and Put V(m) depolarization. When JA was perfused with polyamines, a negative correlation was found between V(m) depolarization and the number of amino group of the polyamines tested.