Protein Alterations in Tall Fescue in Response to Drought Stress and Abscisic Acid

Drought stress may alter protein synthesis in turfgrasses. The objectives of this study were to investigate physiological changes associated with the synthesis of dehydrin and a cytosolic-heat shock protein (HSC 70) in response to drought stress in two tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea L.) cultivars, ‘Southeast’ and ‘Rebel Jr.’. The effects of abscisic acid (ABA) application on the drought tolerance of the cultivars also were evaluated. The cultivars were subjected to three treatments in growth chambers: well-watered control, drought stress, and drought stress following ABA treatment. Turf quality and leaf relative water content (RWC) decreased and electrolyte leakage (EL) increased during drought stress for both cultivars. The ABA-treated plants maintained higher turf quality and RWC, and lower EL than untreated plants under drought stress conditions. Levels of 20- and 29-kDa polypeptides increased during drought stress, and a 35-kDa polypeptide was noted in both cultivars only when subjected to drought stress either with or without ABA treatment. Immunoblot analysis indicated that dehydrin-like polypeptides of about 23-60 kDa were induced by progressive water deficit in both cultivars. The 53 kDa dehydrin polypeptide was present in Southeast with or without ABA treatment at 10 d of drought stress, whereas the 40 kDa dehydrin polypeptide accumulated in Rebel Jr. in both treatment. The 23- and 27-kDa dehydrin polypeptides were present at 10 d in drought-stressed and ABA-treated plants in both cultivars, but were more pronounced in the drought-stressed plants without ABA. A cytosolic-heat shock protein (HSC 70) was detected in plants in all treatments including well-watered plants of both cultivars, but its levels were higher in drought-stressed and ABA-treated plants. No single dehydrin polypeptide was induced by ABA treatment under drought stress, however, the promotive effects of ABA on the reduced drought stress paralleled the delayed induction of protein synthesis in tall fescue.