Involvement of calcium and calmodulin in the acquisition of SA-induced thermotolerance in cucumber seedlings

SA treatment significantly increased thermotolerance In cucumber seedlings. Pretreatment of seeds with $CaCl_2$ solution enhanced the SA- induced thermotolerance. On the contrary, pretreatment with the $Ca^{2+}$ chelator EGTA lowered this SA-induced thermotolerance. In addition, pretreatment with $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker verapamil also weakened the SA-induced thermotolerance. However, the calmodulin antagonist chlorpromazine(CPZ) had little effect on the SA-induced thermotolerance. Measurement of activity of the antioxidant enzyme APX and the level of lipid peroxidation (in term of MDA) indicated that heat stress induced an oxidative stress in cucumber seedlings. SA treatment induced higher activities of APX and a lower level of lipid peroxidation. $Ca^{2+}$ pretreatment further enhanced the SA-induced increase in APX activity and lowered the heat stress-induced lipid peroxidation, but EGTA pretreatment had a contrary effect. These results suggest that $Ca^{2+}$ and calmodulin may be involved In the acquisition of the SA-induced thermotolerance; antioxidant enzyme system take part in the final generation of the SA-induced thermotolerance.