ABA or cadmium induced phytochelatin synthesis in potato tubers

Short-term treatment of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber discs with CdCl2 solution elevated both the StPCS1 transcript level, phytochelatin synthase (PCS) activity and contents of phytochelatin (PC) and abscisic acid (ABA). Similar effects but less marked were noticed after treatment of tuber tissues with ABA solution. Cd-treatment increased also cysteine (CYS) content but did not change glutathione content. If ABA treatment preceded Cd-treatment, the elevation of CYS and PC contents were limited. The data suggest the participation of ABA in the regulation of PCS.