Abstract: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH, E.C. 1.1.1.49) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH, EC 1.1.1.44) are both key enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). The OsG6PDH1 and Os6PGDH1 genes encoding cytosolic G6PDH and cytosolic 6PGDH were isolated from rice (Oryza sativa L.). We have shown that Os6PGDH1 gene was up-regulated by salt stress. Here we reported the isolation and characterization of Os6PGDH2 from rice, which encode the plastidic counterpart of 6PGDH. Genomic organization analysis indicated that OsG6PDH1 and OsG6PDH2 genes contain multiple introns, whereas two Os6PGDH1 and Os6PGDH2 genes have no introns in their translated regions. In a step towards understanding the functions of the pentose phosphate pathway in plants in response to various abiotic stresses, the expressions of four genes in the rice seedlings treated by drought, cold, high salinity and abscisic acid (ABA) were investigated. The results show that OsG6PDH1 and OsG6PDH2 are not markedly regulated by the abiotic stresses detected. However, the transcript levels of both Os6PGDH1 and Os6PGDH2 are up-regulated in rice seedlings under drought, cold, high salinity and ABA treatments. Meanwhile, the enzyme activities of G6PDH and 6PGDH in the rice seedlings treated by various abiotic stresses were investigated. Like the mRNA expression patterns, G6PDH activity remains constant but the 6PGDH increases steadily during the treatments. Taken together, we suggest that the pentose phosphate pathway may play an important role in rice responses to abiotic stresses and the second key enzyme of PPP, 6PGDH, may function as a regulator controlling the efficiency of the pathway under abiotic stresses.

Key words: 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, abiotic stresses, glucose-6-phophate dehydrogenase, Oryza sativa, pentose phosphate pathway.