Inhibition of RNA Synthesis and Auxin-Induced Cell Wall Extensibility and Growth by Actinomycin D

A linear stress strain analyzer was used to determine the effects of inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis on auxin-induced increases in cell wall extensibility. With etiolated soybean hypocotyl, maize mesocotyl and Avena coleoptile sections and light-grown pea internode sections, inhibition of RNA synthesis resulted in inhibition of auxin-induced extensibility changes and cell expansion. The results with both actinomycin D and cycloheximide support an earlier conclusion that unstable cell constituents, presumably enzymes, are essential for cell wall loosening induced by auxin as well as for cell elongation.