Abstract
During germination the chestnut (Castanea sativa L.) var ecotype 33 accumulates a large amount of asparagine in the cotyledons. This compound also accumulates in the growing axis:shoots and roots. In the cotyledons, γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) represents a major amino compound during germination and early seedling growth. In young seedlings, 35 days old, arginine predominates over the other soluble amino acids, particularly in roots. Five enzymic activities involved in arginine and GABA have been measured in the storage organ of the seed: arginase and ornithine carbamyltransferase decrease during germination indicating the slowing down of the urea cycle. In contrast, ornithine aminotransferase increases. Glutamate decarboxylase is particularly active about 21 days after imbibition and GABA aminotransferase activity decreases during germination. These two activities are in good agreement with the likely transport of GABA from cotyledons to growing axis. Asparagine, arginine, and GABA are the three amino compounds obviously involved in the mobilization of nitrogen reserves in the germinating chestnut seeds Castanea sativa.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Atkins C. A., Pate J. S., Sharkey P. J. Asparagine metabolism-key to the nitrogen nutrition of developing legume seeds. Plant Physiol. 1975 Dec;56(6):807–812. doi: 10.1104/pp.56.6.807. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Desmaison A. M., Tixier M. Acides aminés libres de châtaignes provenant de Castanea sativa Mill., Castanea crenata Sieb. et Zucc., Castanea molissima Blume et d'hybrides: Castanea crenata x sativa. Ann Pharm Fr. 1984;42(4):353–357. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Elmore C. D., King E. E. Amino Acid composition of germinating cotton seeds. Plant Physiol. 1978 Oct;62(4):531–535. doi: 10.1104/pp.62.4.531. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Joy K. W., Ireland R. J., Lea P. J. Asparagine synthesis in pea leaves, and the occurrence of an asparagine synthetase inhibitor. Plant Physiol. 1983 Sep;73(1):165–168. doi: 10.1104/pp.73.1.165. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kollöffel C., van Dijke H. D. Mitochondrial Arginase Activity from Cotyledons of Developing and Germinating Seeds of Vicia faba L. Plant Physiol. 1975 Mar;55(3):507–510. doi: 10.1104/pp.55.3.507. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rainbird R. M., Thorne J. H., Hardy R. W. Role of amides, amino acids, and ureides in the nutrition of developing soybean seeds. Plant Physiol. 1984 Feb;74(2):329–334. doi: 10.1104/pp.74.2.329. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Streeter J. G., Thompson J. F. Anaerobic Accumulation of gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Alanine in Radish Leaves (Raphanus sativus, L.). Plant Physiol. 1972 Apr;49(4):572–578. doi: 10.1104/pp.49.4.572. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wallace W., Secor J., Schrader L. E. Rapid Accumulation of gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Alanine in Soybean Leaves in Response to an Abrupt Transfer to Lower Temperature, Darkness, or Mechanical Manipulation. Plant Physiol. 1984 May;75(1):170–175. doi: 10.1104/pp.75.1.170. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- de Ruiter H., Kollöffel C. Activity of enzymes of arginine metabolism in the cotyledons of developing and germinating pea seeds. Plant Physiol. 1982 Jul;70(1):313–315. doi: 10.1104/pp.70.1.313. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- de Ruiter H., Kollöffel C. Arginine catabolism in the cotyledons of developing and germinating pea seeds. Plant Physiol. 1983 Nov;73(3):525–528. doi: 10.1104/pp.73.3.525. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- de Ruiter H., Kollöffel C. Properties of Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase from Pisum sativum L. Plant Physiol. 1985 Mar;77(3):695–699. doi: 10.1104/pp.77.3.695. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]