Skip to main content
PMC home page
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1975 May;55(5):893–898. doi: 10.1104/pp.55.5.893

The Occurrence and Development of Amylase Enzymes in Incubated, De-embryonated Maize Kernels 1

L D Goldstein a,2, Paul H Jennings a
PMCID: PMC541729  PMID: 16659187

Abstract

The development of amylase activity in extracts from de-embryonated and GA3-treated de-embryonated maize kernels (Zea mays L.) was determined during a 10-day incubation period. The increase in activity was compared with activity extracted from endosperms dissected from germinating whole kernels. Chromatographic analysis of reaction products as well as physicochemical characterization demonstrated that the activities from GA3-treated and nontreated tissue were comparable and that part of the activity was attributable to α-amylase.

Concomitant with the increase in activity was the appearance of a number of starch-degrading bands, as evidenced by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Actinomycin-D (20 μg/ml) and cycloheximide (5 μg/ml), when present in the incubation medium at early periods of incubation, were capable of inhibiting the development of amylase activity and of preventing the appearance of the starch-degrading bands.

The results indicate that the development of α-amylase activity in de-embryonated maize kernels is independent of an embryo or an exogenous source of gibberellic acid and suggest that this process involved protein synthesis.

Full text

PDF
894

Images in this article

896Image
on p.896
897Image
on p.897

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Chao S. E., Scandalios J. G. Identification and genetic control of starch-degrading enzymes in maize endosperm. Biochem Genet. 1969 Dec;3(6):537–547. doi: 10.1007/BF00485475. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chrispeels M. J., Varner J. E. Gibberellic Acid-enhanced synthesis and release of alpha-amylase and ribonuclease by isolated barley and aleurone layers. Plant Physiol. 1967 Mar;42(3):398–406. doi: 10.1104/pp.42.3.398. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. DAVIS B. J. DISC ELECTROPHORESIS. II. METHOD AND APPLICATION TO HUMAN SERUM PROTEINS. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1964 Dec 28;121:404–427. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1964.tb14213.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dure L. S. Site of Origin and Extent of Activity of Amylases in Maize Germination. Plant Physiol. 1960 Nov;35(6):925–934. doi: 10.1104/pp.35.6.925. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Ellis R. J., Macdonald I. R. Specificity of cycloheximide in higher plant systems. Plant Physiol. 1970 Aug;46(2):227–232. doi: 10.1104/pp.46.2.227. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Filner P., Varner J. E. A test for de novo synthesis of enzymes: density labeling with H2O18 of barley alpha-amylase induced by gibberellic acid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1967 Oct;58(4):1520–1526. doi: 10.1073/pnas.58.4.1520. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ingle J., Hageman R. H. Metabolic Changes Associated with the Germination of Corn. III. Effects of Gibberellic Acid on Endosperm Metabolism. Plant Physiol. 1965 Jul;40(4):672–675. doi: 10.1104/pp.40.4.672. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jacobsen J. V., Scandalios J. G., Varner J. E. Multiple forms of amylase induced by gibberellic acid in isolated barley aleurone layers. Plant Physiol. 1970 Apr;45(4):367–371. doi: 10.1104/pp.45.4.367. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jacobsen J. V., Varner J. E. Gibberellic Acid-induced synthesis of protease by isolated aleurone layers of barley. Plant Physiol. 1967 Nov;42(11):1596–1600. doi: 10.1104/pp.42.11.1596. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Khan A. A., Verbeek R., Waters E. C., van Onckelen H. A. Embryoless Wheat Grain: A Natural System for the Study of Gibberellin-induced Enzyme Formation. Plant Physiol. 1973 Apr;51(4):641–645. doi: 10.1104/pp.51.4.641. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Paleg L. G. Physiological Effects of Gibberellic Acid. II. On Starch Hydrolyzing Enzymes of Barley Endosperm. Plant Physiol. 1960 Nov;35(6):902–906. doi: 10.1104/pp.35.6.902. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. ROBYT J., FRENCH D. Action pattern and specificity of an amylase from Bacillus subtilis. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1963 Mar;100:451–467. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(63)90112-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Tanaka Y., Ito T., Akazawa T. Enzymic Mechanism of Starch Breakdown in Germinating Rice Seeds: III. alpha-Amylase Isozymes. Plant Physiol. 1970 Nov;46(5):650–654. doi: 10.1104/pp.46.5.650. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Varner J. E., Chandra G. R. HORMONAL CONTROL OF ENZYME SYNTHESIS IN BARLEY ENDOSPERM. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Jul;52(1):100–106. doi: 10.1073/pnas.52.1.100. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES