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Epicuticular waxes of maize as affected by the interaction of mutant gl8 with gl3, gl4 and gl15
Author(s) -
Avato P.,
Bianchi G.,
Nayak A.,
Salamini F.,
Gentinetta E.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02534868
Subject(s) - wax , mutant , epicuticular wax , alkane , composition (language) , chemistry , biochemistry , biology , gene , linguistics , philosophy , catalysis
Chemical composition of epicuticular waxes from double mutants of maize gl2gl8, gl3gl8, gl4gl8 and gl15gl8 is compared to that of the wild type and of the single mutants. The wax composition was moderately affected in the double mutants studied. Meanwhile, free fatty acids became a normal class constituent of the waxes. The sites of action of the single mutants as deduced from previous studies are confirmed. The influence of gl2, gl3 and gl4 on the terminal steps of the chain elongation process in gl2gl8, gl3gl8 and gl4gl8 genotypes is presented and discussed. The study of gl3gl8 waxes also confirms that the mutant gl3 induces a metabolic defect defiitely different from those of gl2 and gl4 . The pattern of alkanes from gl15gl8 is unusual, supporting the thesis that gl15 controls mainly alkane synthesis. However, based on variations induced on wax composition, its manner of action is difficult to account for. Taken together, the available data on single and double mutants affecting wax synthesis in maize suggest that elongases might be heteromeric enzymes.