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. 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.

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Selected References

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

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