Plant Physiol. email content delivery
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Plant Physiology 88:435-440 (1988)
© 1988 American Society of Plant Biologists

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (9)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Morris, C. F.
Right arrow Articles by Paulsen, G. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Morris, C. F.
Right arrow Articles by Paulsen, G. M.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Morris, C. F.
Right arrow Articles by Paulsen, G. M.
Development and Growth Regulation

Identification of L-Tryptophan as an Endogenous Inhibitor of Embryo Germination in White Wheat 1

Craig F. Morris2, Delbert D. Mueller, Jon M. Faubion and Gary M. Paulsen

Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, Department of Biochemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506

An endogenous germination inhibitor(s) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain has been implicated in seed dormancy and germination, but its identity and mode of action have not been elucidated. We isolated and identified an endogenous germination inhibitor in white wheat grain and compared its activity with that of known compounds. A water extract of wheat bran chromatographed on Sephadex LH-20 yielded an inhibitory fraction that was detected by bioassay on embryos excised from dormant wheat seeds. The inhibitor was sequentially purified by DEAE-cellulose, P-2 gel filtration, and C18 reversed-phase HPLC and identified as L-tryptophan by carbon and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, optical rotation, UV absorption spectrum, and chromatographic co-elution with authentic tryptophan. Extractable tryptophan occurred in wheat grain and bran at about 1.3 to 1.5 and 2.7 to 5.9 milligrams per gram, respectively. Low millimolar concentrations of L-tryptophan similar to physiological levels and D-tryptophan were more inhibitory to embryos from dormant seeds than to embryos from nondormant seeds. Tryptophol and tryptamine, putative intermediates between tryptophan and IAA, were highly inhibitory and noninhibitory of embryo germination, respectively. IAA and 2,4-D also inhibited germination, but embryos from dormant and nondormant seeds responded similarly. L-Tryptophan may be an important germination inhibitor of excised embryos, but its role in situ remains to be determined.

2 Present address: Department of Agronomy and Soils, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164.

1 Contribution 88-236-J, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Exp BotHome page
K. Wakasa, H. Hasegawa, H. Nemoto, F. Matsuda, H. Miyazawa, Y. Tozawa, K. Morino, A. Komatsu, T. Yamada, T. Terakawa, et al.
High-level tryptophan accumulation in seeds of transgenic rice and its limited effects on agronomic traits and seed metabolite profile
J. Exp. Bot., September 1, 2006; 57(12): 3069 - 3078.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
ASPB Publications PLANT PHYSIOLOGY® THE PLANT CELL
Copyright © 1988 by the American Society of Plant Biologists