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MG 2+ , K + ‐DEPENDENT PHOSPHATASE ACTIVITY DURING SEED DEVELOPMENT IN NICOTIANA TABACUM
Author(s) -
Mogensen H. Lloyd,
Pollak Peggy E.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1983.tb07913.x
Subject(s) - endosperm , biology , pollination , seedling , nicotiana tabacum , germination , enzyme assay , embryo , botany , horticulture , enzyme , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , pollen , gene
Cation‐dependent phosphatase activity was followed in developing Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) seeds from pre‐pollination to seed maturity. Enzyme activity increased rapidly up to 6 days post‐pollination, then dropped off until 13 days after pollination. At 15 days post‐pollination, enzyme activity had increased again, and at 17 days post‐pollination, it reached its highest level. At 19 days post‐pollination (seed maturity) enzyme activity was still 28% higher than that of the pre‐pollination stage. Since the two peaks in enzyme activity correlate very highly with endosperm growth (first peak) and embryo growth (second peak), it is suggested that the Mg 2+ , K + ‐dependent phosphatase activity detected in this study is associated with the active transport of nutrients to the endosperm and embryo during seed development. The relatively high amount of enzyme activity remaining in the mature seed may represent a store of transport phosphatase that will be available for immediate use at the time of germination and early seedling growth.