Expression of two soybean vegetative storage protein genes during development and in response to water deficit, wounding, and jasmonic acid.

The expression of vspA and vspB genes encoding soybean vegetative storage proteins was studied during seedling development and in response to water deficit, tissue wounding, and jasmonic acid treatment. vspA and vspB encode VSP-alpha and VSP-beta, 28-kilodalton and 31-kilodalton vacuole-localized polypeptides that are 80% homologous. vspA and vspB mRNAs could be distinguished on RNA blots using 3'-end probes. vspA mRNA was threefold to sevenfold more abundant than vspB mRNA in leaves, about equal expression was observed in stems, and vspB mRNA exceeded vspA in roots. Transcripts were not detected in dry seeds but appeared in intact or excised seedling axes between 12 hr and 24 hr after initiation of imbibition. Both transcripts were highly abundant in the meristematic region of seedling stems and in developing leaves but were rare in mature stems, leaves, and roots. In situ localization showed that vsp transcripts were found throughout the hypocotyl hook but were concentrated in cells associated with the epidermis and vascular bundles. Water deficit caused increased vsp mRNA levels in leaves and stems, which suggests that inhibition of growth necessitates temporary storage of amino acids. Wounding induced primarily vspB mRNA in etiolated seedlings, whereas both vspA and vspB mRNA levels increased in wounded leaves. Jasmonic acid and methyl jasmonate were potent inducers of vsp gene expression in cell cultures, developing axes, leaves, and roots. We hypothesize that jasmonic acid levels modulate vsp mRNA abundance in vivo.