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Cyanide Inhibition of Acid-induced Growth in Avena Coleoptile Segments

¹ Department of Botany, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210

The comparative effects of metabolic inhibitors on acid- and auxininduced growth in oat (Avena sativa L. var. Victory) coleoptile segments have been examined. Acid (pH 4)-induced growth in both peeled and unpeeled segments is inhibited by 1 millimolar KCN when added at the time of acidification. KCN inhibits total acid-induced growth by 59 and 76%, respectively, in peeled and nonpeeled segments during the first 60 minutes. The growth rate of cyanide-treated tissue drops to zero or near zero in both peeled and nonpeeled segments during this period. Cyanide inhibition of total acid-induced growth in peeled segments at pH 5 is even more severe, amounting to about 80% during the first 60 minutes. The possibility that inhibition by cyanide may be caused by some nonspecific effect of the inhibitor on a process other than respiration, e.g. turgor reduction due to membrane damage, has not been ruled out. Acid-induced growth is also inhibited by 3 millimolar sodium fluoride and by anoxia. In unpeeled segments total pH 4-induced growth is inhibited 73% by sodium fluoride and 38% by anoxia during the 1st hour. Possible corrections to the above inhibition percentages which may be necessary due to the sensitivity of basal growth to inhibitors are discussed. Cyanide was found to inhibit auxin-induced growth much more rapidly than acid-induced growth. These data suggest that acid growth may be dependent on respiratory metabolism but to a lesser degree than is auxin-induced growth. If the acid growth theory of auxin action is correct, it appears that there may be two steps in the growth process which are dependent on respiratory metabolism: (a) auxin-induced proton pumping which is highly sensitive to respiratory inhibitors; and (b) acid-mediated wall loosening which is moderately and perhaps indirectly sensitive to respiratory inhibitors.