AdoMet plays numerous roles of being the major methyl-group donor in trans-methylation reactions. To gain insight into the possible functions of the AdoMet protein of Suaeda salsa L. in response to salt stress, S adenosylmethionine synthetase gene (SAMS2) was analyzed. We isolated SAMS2 cDNA clone (AF321001) from a lambda -Zap cDNA library constructed from the halophyte S. salsa Pall aerial tissue treated with 400 mmol/L NaCl. SsSAMS2 was found to encode a S-adenolyl-L-methionine synthetase enzyme (AdoMet synthetase). The fragment was 1 531 bp with an open reading frame of 395 amino acids, the calculated molecular weight was about 43 kD. SsSAMS2 showed the highest homology to SAMS2 gene of Catharanthus roseus G. Don., with 93% identity in deduced amino acid sequence. Southern blotting analysis showed that SsSAMS2 might be a two-copy gene in S. salsa genome. Northern blot indicated that the cDNA was up-regulated by salt and other stresses. Enzyme activity assay indicated that the activity of SAMS2 increased under NaCl stress.
