PNL Volume 18

1986

RESEARCH REPORTS

QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN SEEDS FROM FIELD AND

PHYTOTRON-CULTIVATED PLANTS

Muller, H. P.

Institute of Genetics, University of Bonn

Federal Republic of Germany

The comparison of protein and isozyme patterns in seeds from plants

grown under normal and controlled environmental conditions revealed dis-

tinct qualitative differences in some genotypes, indicating substantial

changes in gene expression (1). In addition to the esterase patterns, ADH

bands also were analyzed after e1ectrophorectic separation in

polyacrylamide gels. In the case of ADH we obtained two major bands and

one minor one, according to the different growing conditions of the plants.

In view of the ADH isozyme banding polymorphisms observed, the enzyme

activities of ADH from dry cotyledons were investigated. The data

presently available clearly show that there are marked differences in

enzyme activities in seeds of plants cultivated under different conditions.

Generally, the enzyme activities in single seeds from plants grown in the

phytotron were 2-10 times higher than in those from the experimental field.

Furthermore, each genotype analyzed showed some sort of genotype-specific

increase in enzyme activity: in seeds of mutant 37 and recombinant R 507

there was an increase by a factor of two, in seeds of recombinant R 42I by

a factor of three, and in those of mutant 142 by a factor of ten. The

latter three genotypes not only showed striking differences in ADH but also

in esterase isozyme patterns. Thus, the qualitative variability in banding

pattern obviously indicates also distinct quantitative changes in enzyme

activities. The relations between both traits call for further analysis.

1. Muller, H.P. 1985. PNL 17:61-62.

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