ISSN:
0931-1890
Keywords:
Key words Cambial differentiation
;
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
;
6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase
;
NAD kinase
;
Pyridine nucleotides
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Abstract Despite the importance of the vascular cambial differentiation, little is known about its regulation. In order to address this problem we attempted to biochemically characterize differentiating xylem and phloem elements during the early stages of development. By applying techniques of quantitative histochemistry we show that the total pool size of pyridine nucleotides is similar in the phloem (PD) and xylem (XD) oriented derivatives of the cambial zone of trees of Robinia pseudoacacia L. Within the PD zone, the amount of NAD + NADH exceeded that of NADP + NADPH [around 600 versus 200 pmol (mg dry weight)–1], possibly indicative of a preponderance of catabolic pathways (ratio of NADH : NAD about 1). In contrast, the NADP(H) system dominated in the XD zone. This coincided with a high activity of NAD kinase. In addition, the extractable activities of the key enzymes of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, were greatly increased. At a ratio of NADPH : NADP of approximately 1, this could be indicative of increased rates of reductive biosyntheses, and could thus well be involved in early steps of the formation of phenols and lignin monomers. Taken together, this first approach clearly shows that phloem-oriented and xylem-oriented cambial descendents exhibit distinct differences in their biochemical patterns even in early stages of differentiation.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/PL00009652
