Sugar and fructan accumulation during metabolic adjustment between respiration and fermentation under low oxygen conditions in wheat roots

In terms of gene expression and carbohydrate metabolism, the response of wheat seedlings to hypoxia is dramatically different from the anoxic response. Total carbohydrate content of roots increased 4-fold during 6 days of hypoxia, with a 17-fold increase in fructans. In contrast, anoxically treated roots depleted all soluble carbohydrates and died within 72 h. Gas exchange measurements (CO₂ release vs. O₂ uptake) demonstrate that hypoxia establishes a new balance between fermentation and aerobic respiration in the roots without altering the flux of carbon through glycolysis. Furthermore, the respiratory component of this new balance is 55% higher in roots that have been hypoxically pretreated compared to non-hypoxically pretreated roots. The establishment of this new homeostasis under hypoxia involves the induction of glycolytic (aldolase and enolase) and fermentative enzymes (pyruvate decarboxylase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and lactate dehydrogenase). Enzyme induction is generally complete within 24 h with mRNA induction occurring primarily during Period I (0–6 h of hypoxia), and maximal enzymes activities attained during Period II (6–24 h of hypoxia). Accumulation rates of Suc, hexoses, and fructans also change during Periods I and II. By the start of Period III (24–144 h of hypoxia), the metabolic adjustments are complete and fructans are the major carbohydrate accumulated. In anoxia, the pattern of enzyme induction was dramatically different: aldolase was not induced and declined throughout the treatment. Alcohol dehydrogenase, pyruvate decarboxylase, and lactate dehydrogenase were induced as in hypoxia, but rapidly declined within 72 h of anoxia. Only enolase exhibited a similar expression pattern in both anoxia and hypoxia.