PNL Volume 18
1986
RESEARCH REPORTS
QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN SEEDS FROM FIELD AND
PHYTOTRON-CULTIVATED PLANTS
Muller, H. P.
Institute of Genetics, University of Bonn
Federal Republic of Germany
The comparison of protein and isozyme patterns in seeds from plants
grown under normal and controlled environmental conditions revealed dis-
tinct qualitative differences in some genotypes, indicating substantial
changes in gene expression (1). In addition to the esterase patterns, ADH
bands also were analyzed after e1ectrophorectic separation in
polyacrylamide gels. In the case of ADH we obtained two major bands and
one minor one, according to the different growing conditions of the plants.
In view of the ADH isozyme banding polymorphisms observed, the enzyme
activities of ADH from dry cotyledons were investigated. The data
presently available clearly show that there are marked differences in
enzyme activities in seeds of plants cultivated under different conditions.
Generally, the enzyme activities in single seeds from plants grown in the
phytotron were 2-10 times higher than in those from the experimental field.
Furthermore, each genotype analyzed showed some sort of genotype-specific
increase in enzyme activity: in seeds of mutant 37 and recombinant R 507
there was an increase by a factor of two, in seeds of recombinant R 42I by
a factor of three, and in those of mutant 142 by a factor of ten. The
latter three genotypes not only showed striking differences in ADH but also
in esterase isozyme patterns. Thus, the qualitative variability in banding
pattern obviously indicates also distinct quantitative changes in enzyme
activities. The relations between both traits call for further analysis.
1. Muller, H.P. 1985. PNL 17:61-62.
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