Changes in activity of lysosomal ribonuclease following mechanical damage to leaves of Solanum tuberosum L

Effect of freezing and thawing on the distribution of lysosomal hydrolases in leaves of Solanum tuberosum L

Density-gradient ultracentrifugation techniques showed that freezing and thawing of potato leaves resulted in a change in the density of subcellular particles containing acid phosphatase and acid ribonuclease (RNase). Gel filtration experiments were used to characterise the molecular forms of the hydrolases associated with the various cell fractions. Freezing and thawing promoted a release of a portion of the complement of acid phosphatase and RNase from the lysosomes to the supernatant fluid fraction of cell homogenates. The freezing treatment appeared to activate latent lysosomal RNase.

Development of nuclease activity in cotyledons of Pisum sativum L

The RNA content of pea cotyledons shows little change during the first five days of germination at 22°C. From day five onwards there is a rapid net degradation of RNA, which continues until day thirteen. The DNA content of the cotyledons increases slightly during the first nine days of germination, after which there is a net decrease. Acid and alkaline ribonuclease activities increase markedly between day one and day five, and then decline between day five and day nine. There is a second increase in the activities of both enzymes from day nine onwards. Soluble deoxyribonuclease activity exhibits a single peak, seven days after the onset of germination. The first increase in acid ribonuclease activity is only partially inhibited by cycloheximide at concentrations which severely inhibit protein synthesis.

Iso-enzymes of acid ribonuclease in cotyledons of Pisum sativum L

Acid ribonuclease from cotyledons of Pisum sativum is very stable, with a temperature optimum of 65° C. It has a molecular weight of 17,500 and there is evidence that a fragment, with a molecular weight of 3,100, retains enzyme activity. Acid ribonuclease from the cotyledons of five-day old seedlings may be fractionated into two iso-enzymes, I and II, by CM-cellulose chromatography. The increase in activity of iso-enzyme I is not inhibited by cycloheximide, whereas the increase in iso-enzyme II activity is strongly inhibited by cycloheximide. Cotyledons of 9-day old seedlings contain only iso-enzyme I, whilst cotyledons of 15-day old seedlings contain three iso-enzymes, I, IIa and III.