Cell-wall-hydrolysing enzymes in wall formation as measured by pollen-tube extension
✍ Scribed by H. P. J. R. Roggen; R. G. Stanley
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Year
- 1969
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 467 KB
- Volume
- 84
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0032-0935
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✦ Synopsis
Cell-wall-softening enzymes affect the plasticity of the tip wall of pollen tubes and modify tube elongation. Length of pear pollen tubes is increased by the addition of/%l,3-glucanase at the beginning of in-vitro germination. The longer tubes after 3 hours are primarily the result of earlier germination. Application of fl-l,4-glucanase or pectinase to germimating pollen does not affect germination but enhances the growth rate of 1-hour-old pollen tubes. The stimulating effects of fi-l,4-glucanase and pectinase are additive. Denatured enzymes had no effect. Proteinase, pectin esterase, acid phosphatase and a-amylase only inhibited growth and germination. Replacing the medium 1 hour after germination begins stops pollen-tube growth; growth can be restored by adding cellulase-pectinase mixtures to the replacement medium. These results provide evidence that eellulase and pectinase are important in pollen-wall extension, and that callose-hydrolyzing enzymes are involved in pollen germination but not wall extension.