Determination of expression profiles of superoxide dismutase genes in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh under boron stress

Deficiency or excess of boron in the soil may be an important abiotic stress factor. Seven different superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoforms including Cu/ZnSOD (CSD1, CDS2, CSD3), FeSOD (FSD1, FSD2, FSD3), and MnSOD (MSD1) genes have been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana. The aim of this study is to determine the expression levels of the genes encoding superoxide dismutase, which is the key enzyme of the antioxidant system in leaf and root tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) under boron (B) deficiency or toxicity conditions using Real-Time PCR. Arabidopsis plants were grown in hydroponic culture system for six weeks and incubated for 48 hours in mediums excluding boric acid (BA) (0 μM) or including high concentration of BA (3000 μM). B stress tretaments increased the expression levels of the CSD1 and FSD3 genes in leaf tissue. mRNA level of MSD1 gene is increased in result of B toxicity application in leaf tissue, while in root tissue B deficiency application increased the mRNA level. B deficiency and toxicity treatments altered the expression levels of the CSD2, FSD1, and FSD2 genes depending on the tissue. In conclusion, it has been revealed that B stress triggers antioxidative defense mechanisms in different cellular compartments in roots and leaves