Effect of foliar spray of zinc on chloroplast beta-carbonic anhydrase expression and enzyme activity in rice (Oryza sativa L.) leaves

The β-carbonic anhydrase (β-CA) is regarded as a zinc-containing enzyme involved in photosynthesis. Here, the rice plants of cv. N22 were treated with foliar spray at a Zn²⁺ concentration range from 0–35.0 mM during the tillering stage. The β-CA expression in the treated leaves was quantitatively determined by RT-qPCR and gel-based immunoblotting techniques, and its enzyme activity and relative chlorophyll concentration were measured. Results indicated that exogenous zinc could benefit rice plants at the tillering stage, particularly chloroplast β-CA with a fourfold enhancement in gene expression and a 14.6 % increase in its activity by treating the rice leaves with the 7.0-mM Zn²⁺ concentration, thereby promoting photosynthesis by a 19.4 % increase in relative chlorophyll concentration per unit leaf area. Results also showed that the application of Zn²⁺ at a concentration exceeding 7.0 mM could result in leaf senescence, and in some cases leaf hurts with significant inactivation (decreasing by approximately 70 %) of β-CA enzyme. It could be concluded that the application of 7.0-mM Zn²⁺ benefits rice plants at the tillering stage. The β-CA activity was associated with the catalytic microenvironment, thus providing an indicator for physiological response to exogenous zinc in rice.