Plant Physiol. Drug Metab Dispos
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Plant Physiology 44:886-892 (1969)
© 1969 American Society of Plant Biologists

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Articles

Enzymic Degradation of Starch Granules in the Cotyledons of Germinating Peas 1,2

Bienvenido O. Juliano3 and J. E. Varner

a AEC Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48823

Starch, total {alpha}- and {beta}-amylase, and phosphorylase levels and the zymogram patterns of these 3 starch-degrading enzymes were determined in the cotyledons of smooth pea (Pisum sativum L.) during the first 15 days of germination. Starch is degraded slowly in the first 6 days; during this time, {alpha}-amylase is very low, {beta}-amylase is present at a constant level while phosphorylase gradually increases and reaches a peak on the fifth day. Beginning on the sixth day there is a more rapid degradation of starch which coincides with {alpha}-amylase production. One phosphorylase band and 2 {beta}-amylase bands are present in the zymogram of the imbibed cotyledon. An additional phosphorylase band and 1 {alpha}-amylase band appear during germination. Seeds imbibed in benzyladenine, chloramphenicol, and in cycloheximide show retarded growth and slower starch degradation and enzyme production than the controls. We conclude that {alpha}-amylase is the major enzyme involved in the initial degradation of starch into more soluble forms while phosphorylase and {beta}-amylase assist in the further conversion to free sugars.

3 Present address: Chemistry Department, The International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Laguna, The Philippines.

1 Work carried out under United States Atomic Energy Commission contract No. AT (11-1) - 1338 and a research fellowship (B. O. Juliano) from the International Rice Research Institute.

2 We acknowledge the assistance of Dr. J. G. Scandalios and E. S. Chao on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis techniques.




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J. J. Waghorn, T. del Pozo, E. A. Acevedo, and L. A. Cardemil
The role of two isoenzymes of {alpha}-amylase of Araucaria araucana (Araucariaceae) on the digestion of starch granules during germination
J. Exp. Bot., March 1, 2003; 54(384): 901 - 911.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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Copyright © 1969 by the American Society of Plant Biologists