Nitric oxide, polyamines and Cd-induced phytotoxicity in wheat roots

To further explore the biochemical basis of Cd toxicity in developing wheat seedlings, we studied the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) and polyamines as signaling molecules involved in metal-induced root growth inhibition. When used at 0.1 mM, sodium nitroprusside, a NO-releasing compound, inhibited root growth to a similar extent as Cd and enhanced the polyamine contents as Cd also did. Putrescine and spermidine treatments caused significant decreases in root growth with spermine giving the greatest level of inhibition (77% reduction). The simultaneous addition of Cd and inhibitors of putrescine biosynthesis (DFMA and DFMO) prevented increases in putrescine levels but did not restore normal root growth. NO content, as evidenced by the fluorescent probe DAF-FM diacetate, was found to be significantly increased in the roots of both Cd and polyamine treated plants, especially in those exposed to spermine. The effect was specific for NO since the NO scavenger cPTIO almost suppressed the fluorescent signal. Concerning the oxidative status of the root system, only Cd and spermine enhanced lipid peroxidation in roots. At the same time, all treatments led to a significant increase in levels of the non-enzymatic antioxidant defense glutathione. Our results strongly suggest that Cd and spermine treatments induce NO formation in wheat roots which, in turn, is involved in root growth inhibition.     

Levels of endogenous polyamines and NaCl-inhibited growth of rice seedlings

The role of endogenous polyamines in the control of NaCl-inhibited growth of rice seedlings was investigated. Putrescine, spermidine and spermine were all present in shoots and roots of rice seedlings. NaCl treatment did not affect spermine levels in shoots and roots. Spermidine levels in shoots and roots were increased with increasing concentrations of applied NaCl. NaCl at a concentration of 50 mM, which caused only slight growth inhibition, drastically lowered the level of putrescine in shoots and roots. Addition of precursors of putrescine biosynthesis (L-arginine and L-ornithine) resulted in an increase in putrescine levels in NaCl-treated shoots and roots, but did not allow recovery of the growth inhibition of rice seedlings induced by NaCl. Pretreatment of rice seeds with putrescine caused an increase in putrescine level in shoots, but could not alleviate the inhibition effect of NaCl on seedling growth. The current results suggest that endogenous polyamines may not play a significant role in the control of NaCl-inhibited growth of rice seedlings.Abbreviations PUT putrescine - SPD spermidine - SPM spermine     

The effect of fulvic acids on the toxicity of lead and manganese to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus<Emphasis Type="Italic">Glomus intraradices</Emphasis>

The effect of fulvic acids (FA) on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and on the toxicity of lead and manganese toward these symbionts were demonstatedin vitro. Incubation of root segments colonized with the AM fungusGlomus intraradices in undiluted fraction of FA (813 mg/L carbon) decreased an outgrowth of intraradical hyphae. Diluted FA solutions (<271 mg/L C) did not influence the proportion of root segments bearing proliferating hyphae; solution containing 27.1 mg/L C even increased the proliferation. A decrease of heavy metal toxicity toward the fungus was observed when FA (81.3 mg/L C) were added to the solutions containing higher concentrations (≤100 μmol/L) of Mn and Pb; the positive effect of FA was not significant at higher concentrations of metals (0.5 mmol/L). A short-term cultivation of six different saprophytic microorganisms — three actinomycetes and three filamentous fungi — on the FA media (81.3 mg/L C) did not result in a modification of hyphal proliferation from the root segments subsequently incubated in these media.     

Effects of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) W. Watson essential oil on the growth and morphogenesis of Aspergillus niger

The growth inhibitory effect of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) W. Watson var. nurdus essential oil on Aspergillus niger (Van Tieghem) mycelium was determined on agar medium. The mycelium growth was completely inhibited at 800 mg/L. This concentration was found to be lethal under the test conditions. Essential oil at 400 mg/L caused growth inhibition of 80% after 4 days of incubation, and a delay in conidiation of 4 days compared with the control. Microscopic observations were carried out to determine the ultrastructural modifications of A. niger hyphae after treatment with C. nardus essential oil. The main change observed by transmission electron microscopy concerned the hyphal diameter and the hyphal wall, which appeared markedly thinner. These modifications in cytological structure might be caused by the interference of the essential oil with the enzymes responsible for wall synthesis which disturb normal growth. Moreover, the essential oil caused plasma membrane disruption and mitochondrial structure disorganization. The findings thus indicate the possibility of exploiting Cymbopogon nardus essential oil as an effective inhibitor of biodegrading and storage-contaminating fungi.     

Effects of putrescine and inhibitors of putrescine biosynthesis on organogenesis inEuphorbia esula L.

Summary Exogenous putrescine (&#x2264;5 mM) had little effect on root or shoot formation in aseptically isolated hypocotyl segments of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) grown on full-strength B5 medium. Unexpectedly, putrescine inhibited root and shoot formation in hypocotyl segments grown on B5 medium diluted 10-fold. In the full-strength medium, root and shoot formation were inhibited by 0.5 mM concentrations ofdl-&#x03B1;-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) anddl-&#x03B1;-difluoromethylarginine (DFMA). DFMO and DFMA are inhibitors of the ornithine decarboxylase and arginine decarboxylase pathways, respectively, of putrescine biosynthesis in plants. Exogenous putrescine (0.5 to 5 mM) did not reverse either the DFMO-or DFMA-induced inhibition of shoot formation. However, the DFMA-induced inhibition of root formation was partially reversed by exogenous putrescine. The auxin, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), reduced the inhibitory effects of DFMO+DFMA (applied together) on both roots and shoots. In the first few days of culture, the endogenous levels of putrescine and spermidine, but not of spermine, increased in the presence of IAA. The levels of putrescine and spermidine in the tissues did not correlate well with either root or shoot production in the later stages of organ formation; especially in tissues treated with IAA. These results show that there were no obvious correlations between polyamine levels and organogenesis in leafy spurge hypocotyl segments, although residual putrescine or spermidine or both in the tissues at the time of excision may be indirectly involved in the early stages of root formation.     

发根农杆菌LBA9402Bin19转化红豆草及再生转基因植株

Hypocotyl segments of Onobrychis viciaefolia were transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes LBA9402 which harboured pBin19 and pRi1855. Seedling age and preculture time of hypocotyl segments influenced the transformation frequency. Paper electrophoresis revealed that 70% of single hairy root cultures could synthesize agropine. Calli were induced from hairy root segments on MS medium containing 0-9.05 mumol/L 2,4-D and 0-2.22 mumol/L 6-BA at first, then they were transferred onto MS0 medium without kanamycin for regeneration. Constitution and concentration of phytohormones in callus induction media affected subsequent regeneration of calluses on MS0 medium remarkably. Regeneration frequency and shoot number per callus declined when 2,4-D concentration in callus induction media increased from 4.52 to 9.05 mumol/L, while they ascended when 6-BA in callus induction media increased from 0 to 2.22 mumol/L. On MS medium supplemented with 4.52 mumol/L 2,4-D and 2.22 mumol/L 6-BA, only 14.2% hairy root segments could produce calluses, but the regeneration frequency reached 58.1% and the shoot number per callus was 37.2. In 32 analysed plants regenerated from 8 kanamycin resistant hairy root lines, 25 were nptII positive and showed different copy numbers.     

Feedback regulation of polyamine synthesis in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Analysis using nonmetabolizable derivatives of putrescine and spermine

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is subject to feedback regulation by the polyamines. Thus, addition of putrescine, spermidine or spermine to cells causes inhibition of ODC mRNA translation. Putrescine and spermine are readily converted into spermidine. Therefore, it is conceivable that the inhibition of ODC synthesis observed in putrescine- and spermine-supplemented cells is instead an effect of spermidine. To examine this possibility we have used two analogs of putrescine and spermine, namely 1,4-dimethylputrescine and 5,8-dimethylspermine, which cannot be converted into spermidine. Both analogs were found to inhibit the incorporation of [35S]methionine into ODC protein to approximately the same extent, suggesting that putrescine as well as spermine exert a negative feedback control of ODC mRNA translation in the cell. In addition to suppressing ODC synthesis, both analogs were found to increase the turnover rate of the enzyme. 5,8-Dimethylspermine caused a marked decrease in the activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC). This effect was not obtained with 1,4-dimethylputrescine, indicating that spermine, but not putrescine, exerts a negative control of AdoMetDC. Treatment with 1,4-dimethylputrescine caused extensive depletion of the cellular putrescine and spermidine content, but accumulation of spermine. 5,8-Dimethylspermine treatment, on the other hand, effectively depleted the spermine content and had less effect on the putrescine and spermidine content, at least initially. Nevertheless, the total polyamine content was more extensively reduced by treatment with 5,8-dimethylspermine than with 1,4-dimethylputrescine. Accordingly, only 5,8-dimethylspermine treatment exerted a significant inhibitory effect on Ehrlich ascites tumor cell growth.     

Involvement of Polyamines with Adventitious Root Development in Stem Cuttings of Mung Bean

Spermine enhances the number of adventitious roots developingon stem cuttings of Phaseolus aureus Roxb. This effect is observedwhen spermine is supplied alone to cuttings or in the presenceof indolebutyric acid (IBA). That concentration most effectivein inducing the rooting response also enhances root growth.Other concentrations tested were without effect on growth. Spermidinedoes not influence root number or growth except at high concentration,when it is inhibitory to number only. Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone)(MGBG) inhibits rooting and root growth in the presence or absenceof IBA. Treatment of stem-cuttings with IBA leads to enhancedlevels of spermine, spermidine and putrescine in the hypocotylprior to development of any root primordia. MGBG reduces thelevels of spermine and spermidine whilst increasing the levelof putrescine. Furthermore, MGBG prevents the IBA-induced increasein spermine and markedly inhibits that in spermidine. Theseresults are consistent with an essential role for polyaminesand their metabolism in the early events which lead to adventitiousroot development. (Received January 10, 1983; Accepted March 17, 1983)     

Feedback regulation of polyamine synthesis in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Analysis using nonmetabolizable derivatives of putrescine and spormine

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is subject to feedback regulation by the polyamines. Thus, addition of putrescine, spermidine or spermine to cells causes inhibition of ODC mRNA translation. Putrescine and spermine are readily converted into spermidine. Therefore, it is conceivable that the inhibition of ODC synthesis observed in putrescine- and spermine-supplemented cells is instead an effect of spermidine. To examine this possibility we have used two analogs of putrescine and spermine, namely 1,4-dimethylputrescine and 5,8-dimethylspermine, which cannot be converted into spermidine. Both analogs were found to inhibit the incorporation of [³⁵S]methionine into ODC protein to approximately the same extent, suggesting that putrescine as well as spermine exert a negative feedback control of ODC mRNA translation in the cell. In addition to suppressing ODC synthesis, both analogs were found to increase the turnover rate of the enzyme. 5,8-Dimethylspermine caused a marked decrease in the activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC). This effect was not obtained with 1,4-dimethylputrescine, indicating that spermine, but not putrescien, exerts a negative control of AdoMetDC. Treatment with 1,4-dimethylputrescine caused extensive depletion of the cellular putrescine and spermidine content, but accumulation of spermine. 5,8-Dimethylspermine treatment, on the other hand, effectively depleted the spermine content and had less effect on the putrescine and spermidine content, at least initially. Nevertheless, the total polyamine content was more extensively reduced by treatment with 5,8-dimethylspermine than with 1,4-dimethylputrescine. Accordingly, only 5,8-dimethylspermine treatment exerted a significant inhibitory effect on Ehrlich ascites tumor cell growth.     

Polyamines stimulate hyphal branching and infection in the early stage of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glomus etunicatum</Emphasis> colonization

Polyamines are known to strongly stimulate hyphal growth in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The effect of the polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine on spore germination, hyphal elongation and branching by the AM fungus Glomus etunicatum was investigated in this study. The effect of spermine on infection and the development of the host and of daughter spores was further investigated using the dual monoaxenic culture system comprised of Gl. etunicatum fungal cultures in Ri T-DNA transformed carrot hairy roots. Spermidine and spermine showed positive effects on germination and all three polyamines significantly promoted hyphal growth. Hyphal branching was also strongly stimulated by treatment with polyamines, such as an increase in the number of branches. Infection during the early stages of the in vitro co-culture life cycle was enhanced in the presence of spermine, and daughter spores appeared at earlier timepoints compared to the control. Our results demonstrate that polyamines stimulate germination and hyphal branching in the early stage of AM fungal colonization. Moreover, results from the investigations conducted in the fungus-root co-culture suggest that polyamines may be involved in establishing the symbiotic relationship between root and fungus.     

Effects of exogenous polyamines and difluoromethylornithine on seed germination and root growth of Arabidopsis thaliana

Effects of exogenous polyamines and difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) on seed germination and seedling root growth of Arabidopsis thaliana were investigated. Root growth was stimulated by low concentrations of putrescine but was increasingly inhibited by high concentrations of putrscine. DFMO inhibited root growth and this inhibition was reversed by applying putrescine. In contrast, both spermidine and spermine had no effect on root growth but inhibited seed germination. The results suggest a possible requirement of endogeneous putrescine for normal root growth of Arabidopsis seedlings.Abbreviations DFMO difluoromethylornithine - DFMA difluoromethylarginine - ODC ornithine decarboxylase - Put Putrescine - Spd Spermidine - Spm Spermine     

磷和镉对根内球囊霉Glomus intraradices孢子萌发、菌丝生长和外生菌丝内聚磷酸累积的影响

丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)能够显著提高植物对重金属的抗性,菌丝内聚磷酸(Polyphosphate,PolyP)可能参与了这种抗性的形成。试验以Glomus intraradices孢子为试材,对灭菌条件进行了优化,并进一步研究了不同P和Cd2+水平对孢子萌发、菌丝生长、分支和外生菌丝中聚磷酸含量的影响。结果表明,孢子在1%氯胺T+0.02%链霉素+0.01%庆大霉素+1/100(V/V)吐温-20中灭菌5min的效果最好。孢子萌发率、菌丝分支和菌丝长度随着Cd2+浓度的增加不断降低;当Cd2+浓度达到0.1mmol/L时,孢子萌发率降低为0%,表明Glomus intraradices的孢子萌发对Cd2+的耐受极限为0.1mmol/L;1mmol/L的P促进菌丝分支增加,却降低了萌发率,但对菌丝生长没有影响;在培养23d以后,三者基本不再变化。外生菌丝内的聚磷酸含量随着P的升高而增加;在Cd2+胁迫作用下,聚磷酸的含量降低而菌丝密度随着聚磷酸的升高而升高,表明聚磷酸在减弱重金属毒性方面起了重要作用。     

酶法制备壳寡糖对番茄灰霉病病菌抑制机理初探

目的：研究酶降解法制备的壳寡糖对番茄灰霉病病菌的抑制机理。方法：测定壳寡糖对番茄灰霉病菌菌丝发育、孢子萌发的抑制作用以及对菌丝形态、细胞膜透性和对菌丝体可溶性蛋白质含量的影响。结果：当壳寡糖处理浓度为1.5mg/mL以上时,对菌丝生长的抑制率达70%以上,EC50为0.72mg/mL。当处理浓度为6mg/mL时,对分生孢子的抑制率显著优于其他浓度水平,达87.4%,EC50为1.48mg/mL。显微观察,浓度为0.8mg/mL的壳寡糖处理可诱导菌丝分枝增多、菌体分隔增加,分生孢子形成受到抑制。此外壳寡糖能够引起菌丝细胞膜透性发生变化,造成菌丝体内含物的渗漏。壳寡糖处理66 h后,菌丝体可溶性蛋白含量比对照降低了36.7%。结论：壳寡糖对番茄灰霉病病菌抑制机理的探究为研究壳寡糖这一新型生物农药的作用机制提供依据。     

Putrescine transport in a cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

The transport of putrescine into a moderately salt tolerant cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was characterized by measuring the uptake of radioactively-labeled putrescine. Putrescine transport showed saturation kinetics with an apparent K(m) of 92 +/- 10 microM and V(max) of 0.33 +/- 0.05 nmol/min/mg protein. The transport of putrescine was pH-dependent with highest activity at pH 7.0. Strong inhibition of putrescine transport was caused by spermine and spermidine whereas only slight inhibition was observed by the addition of various amino acids. These results suggest that the transport system in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is highly specific for polyamines. Putrescine transport is energy-dependent as evidenced by the inhibition by various metabolic inhibitors and ionophores. Slow growth was observed in cells grown under salt stress. Addition of low concentration of putrescine could restore growth almost to the level observed in the absence of salt stress. Upshift of the external osmolality generated by either NaCl or sorbitol caused an increased putrescine transport with an optimum 2-fold increase at 20 mosmol/kg. The stimulation of putrescine transport mediated by osmotic upshift was abolished in chloramphenicol-treated cells, suggesting possible involvement of an inducible transport system.     

Polyamines and ethylene in relation to adventitious root formation in Prunus avium shoot cultures

An attempt was made to identify some of the hormonal factors that control adventitious root formation in our Prunus avium micropropagation system in order to improve rooting in difficult-to-root genotypes. Changes in endogenous contents of free polyamines were determined at intervals during auxin-induced rooting of shoot cultures. Accumulation of putrescine and spermidine peaked between days 9 and 11. Spermine was only present in traces, Exogenously supplied putrescine or spermine (50-500 μM), in the presence of optimal or suboptimal levels of indolebutyric acid (IBA), had no effect on rooting percentage or root density, except for spermine at 500 μM. At this external concentration spermine caused a substantial accumulation in both free spermine and putrescine. The use of several inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis, namely α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), α-difluoromethylarginine (DFMA), dicyclohexylammonium sulphate (DCHA) and methylglyoxal-bis-guanyl-hydrazone (MGBG) alone or in combination in the 0.1 to 5 μM range, resulted in an inhibition of rooting that was partially reversed by the addition of the corresponding polyamine. Cellular polyamine levels were significantly reduced by DFMO and DFMA but not by DCHA and MGBG, Labeled putrescine incorporation into spermidine increased somewhat in the presence of the ethylene synthesis inhibitor aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG). A system based on [3,4-¹⁴C]methionine incorporation was used to measure ethylene synthesis by the in vitro cultured shoots. Label incorporation was drastically reduced by 10 μM AVG and increased 3.5-fold in the presence of 50 μM IBA with respect to controls (no IBA). Labeled methionine incorporation into spermidine increased to some extent when ethylene synthesis was inhibited by AVG. Adding the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid (ACC) to the rooting medium significantly inhibited rooting percentage; AVG caused the formation of a greater number of roots per shoot but delayed their growth. Supplying the shoots with both compounds resulted in an intermediate rooting response, in which both rooting percentage and root density were affected. These results indicate that polyamines may play a significant role at least in some stages of root formation. The polyamine and ethylene biosynthetic pathways seem to be competitive but under our conditions, the enhancement of one pathway when the other was inhibited, was not dramatic. Although IBA promoted ethylene synthesis, AVG, which drastically reduced it, also promoted root formation. Thus, the auxin effect on root induction cannot be directly related to its ability to enhance ethylene synthesis.     

Branching is coordinated with mitosis in growing hyphae of Aspergillus nidulans

Filamentous fungi like Aspergillus nidulans can effectively colonize their surroundings by the formation of new branches along the existing hyphae. While growth conditions, chemical perturbations, and mutations affecting branch formation have received great attention during the last decades, the mechanisms that regulates branching is still poorly understood. In this study, a possible relation between cell cycle progression and branching was studied by testing the effect of a nuclei distribution mutation, cell cycle inhibitors, and conditional cell cycle mutations in combination with tip-growth inhibitors and varying substrate concentrations on branch initiation. Formation of branches was blocked after inhibition of nuclear division, which was not caused by a reduced growth rate. In hyphae of a nuclei distribution mutant branching was severely reduced in anucleated hyphae whereas the number of branches per hyphal length was linearly correlated to the concentration of nuclei, in the nucleated hyphae. In wild type cells, branching intensity was increased when the tip extension was reduced, and reduced when growing on poor substrates. In these situations, the hyphal concentration of nuclei was maintained and it is suggested that branching is correlated to cell cycle progression in order to maintain a minimum required cytoplasmic volume per nucleus and to avoid the formation of anucleated hyphae in the absence of nuclear divisions. The presented results further suggest the hyphal diameter as a key point through which the hyphal element regulates its branching intensity in response to the surrounding substrate concentrations.     

三颗针对白假丝酵母的抑制作用

目的研究三颗针对白假丝酵母的抑制作用。方法采用溴化噻唑蓝四唑法(MTT)和琼脂平板法测定三颗针对白假丝酵母的最低抑菌浓度(MIC)和最低杀菌浓度(MFC);利用倒置荧光显微镜观察三颗针对白假丝酵母菌丝形成的影响;采用MTT法测定三颗针对白假丝酵母菌丝萌发不同时期的抑制率。结果三颗针对白假丝酵母具有较强的抑制作用。其中,采用琼脂平板法测得三颗针抑制该菌的MIC为2mg/mL,MFC为4mg/mL。三颗针能减缓该菌的生长速度或使其停止生长,且浓度越高作用效果越明显。其中4mg/mL的三颗针作用白假丝酵母6h后,能够完全抑制菌丝形成。对于24h后已经萌发为菌丝态的白假丝酵母,三颗针可抑制菌丝的继续生长,与对照组相比,4mg/mL的三颗针对于萌发2h后的白假丝酵母的菌丝抑制率为76.7%(P0.01)。结论三颗针能抑制白假丝酵母菌丝的生长和萌发。     

Quantification of water uptake by arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae and its significance for leaf growth, water relations, and gas exchange of barley subjected to drought stress

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alleviate drought stress in their host plants via the direct uptake and transfer of water and nutrients through the fungal hyphae to the host plants. To quantify the contribution of the hyphae to plant water uptake, a new split-root hyphae system was designed and employed on barley grown in loamy soil inoculated with Glomus intraradices under well-watered and drought conditions in a growth chamber with a 14-h light period and a constant temperature (15 degrees C; day/night). Drought conditions were initiated 21 days after sowing, with a total of eight 7-day drying cycles applied. Leaf water relations, net photosynthesis rates, and stomatal conductance were measured at the end of each drying cycle. Plants were harvested 90 days after sowing. Compared to the control treatment, the leaf elongation rate and the dry weight of the shoots and roots were reduced in all plants under drought conditions. However, drought resistance was comparatively increased in the mycorrhizal host plants, which suffered smaller decreases in leaf elongation, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and turgor pressure compared to the non-mycorrhizal plants. Quantification of the contribution of the arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae to root water uptake showed that, compared to the non-mycorrhizal treatment, 4 % of water in the hyphal compartment was transferred to the root compartment through the arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae under drought conditions. This indicates that there is indeed transport of water by the arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae under drought conditions. Although only a small amount of water transport from the hyphal compartment was detected, the much higher hyphal density found in the root compartment than in the hyphal compartment suggests that a larger amount of water uptake by the arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae may occur in the root compartment.     

Growth Inhibition in Suspension-Cultured Rice Cells under Phosphate Deprivation Is Mediated through Putrescine Accumulation

The effects of phosphate deprivation on the growth and polyamine levels of suspension-cultured rice (Oryza sativa) cells were investigated. When rice suspension cells were deprived of phosphate, cell growth was markedly inhibited. Phosphate deprivation resulted in a higher putrescine level and lower spermidine and spermine levels in rice suspension cells. The growth of rice cells cultured in the absence of phosphate did not recover as a result of spermidine and spermine addition. D-Arginine and [alpha]-methylornithine, inhibitors of putrescine biosynthesis, caused a reduced level of putrescine in rice suspension cells cultured under phosphate deprivation. The growth of rice cells cultured in the absence of phosphate was completely recovered after the addition of D-arginine but not [alpha]-methylornithine. Our results indicate that putrescine accumulation is a factor causing growth inhibition of suspension-cultured rice cells under phosphate deprivation.