Extraction and partial characterization of the ethylene-forming enzyme from apple fruit

24-Epibrasinolide Modulates the Vase Life of Lisianthus Cut Flowers by Modulating ACC Oxidase Enzyme Activity and Physiological Responses

Ethylene is the most important factor playing roles in senescence and deterioration of harvested crops including cut flowers. Brassinosteroids (BRs), as natural phytohormones, have been reported to differently modulate ethylene production and related senescence processes in different crops. This study was carried out to determine the effects of different levels of 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) on ACC oxidase enzyme activity, the final enzyme in ethylene biosynthesis pathway, vase life, and senescence rate in lisianthus cut flowers. Harvested flowers were treated with EBL (at 0, 3, 6, and 9 µmol/L) and kept at 25 °C for 15 days. The ACC oxidase activity, water absorption, malondialdehyde (MDA) production and vase solution absorption rates, chlorophyll and anthocyanin contents, and the vase life of the flowers were evaluated during and at the end of storage. EBL at 3 µmol/L significantly (p ≤ 0.01) enhanced the flower vase life by decreasing the ACC oxidase activity, MDA production and senescence rates, and enhancing chlorophyll and anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation, relative water content, and vase solution absorption rates. By increasing the concentration, EBL negatively affected the flower vase life and postharvest quality probably via enhancing the ACC oxidase enzyme activity and subsequent ethylene production. EBL at 6 and 9 µmol/L and in a concentration dependent manner, enhanced the ACC oxidase activity and MDA production rate and decreased chlorophyll and anthocyanin accumulation and water absorption rate. The results indicate that the effects of brassinosteroids on ethylene production and physiology of lisianthus cut flowers is highly dose dependent.

Low storage temperature for tree ripe mangoes under controlled atmospheres with elevated CO2 concentrations

BACKGROUND

Tree-ripe mangoes are of a better quality than the more commonly marketed mature-green fruit. However, the postharvest life of tree-ripe mangoes at the chilling threshold temperature for mature-green fruit of 12 °C is insufficient to allow long distance transport for international marketing. Because the chilling sensitivity often decreases as fruit ripen, lower temperatures (5 and 8 °C) in combination with a controlled atmosphere of 5 kPa O₂ plus 10 or 25 kPa CO₂ were tested to determine whether the quality of tree-ripe mangoes could be maintained longer without chilling injury (CI).

RESULTS

Tree-ripe 'Tommy Atkins' and 'Keitt' mangoes were stored for 14 or 21 days, respectively, in air or controlled atmosphere (CA) at 5 or 8 °C. Respiration rates were below 10 mL kg^-1 h^-1 during CA storage and increased three-fold during a 3-day shelf life period at 20 °C. Ethanol synthesis of fruit stored in 25 kPa CO₂ , but not 10 kPa CO₂ , increased during storage and remained high during shelf life, indicating physiological stress. Elevated electrolyte leakage and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid concentrations in both cultivars stored in 25 kPa CO₂ also indicated that mesocarp tissues were injured by the higher CO₂ level. No CI symptoms were observed in air or CA at either 5 or 8 °C.

CONCLUSION

Storage of tree-ripe mangoes in 5 kPa O₂ plus 10 kPa CO₂ at either 5 or 8 °C best maintained the quality of Tommy Atkins and Keitt fruit for 14 or 21 days, respectively, without evidence of either atmosphere injury or CI. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparison of heme and nonheme iron-based 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase mimics: kinetic, mechanistic and computational studies

Kinetic, mechanistic and computational studies of the H₂O₂oxidation of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid to ethylene by heme- and nonheme-type iron complexes are described as biomimics of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase.

Characterization of the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase multigene family of Malus domestica Borkh

Two 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase (ACO) genes have been cloned from RNA isolated from leaf tissue of apple (Malus domestica cv. Royal Gala). The genes, designated MD-ACO2 (with an ORF of 990bp) and MD-ACO3 (966bp) have been compared with a previously cloned gene of apple, MD-ACO1 (with an ORF of 942bp). MD-ACO1 and MD-ACO2 share a close nucleotide sequence identity of 93.9% in the ORF but diverge in the 3' untranslated regions (3'-UTR) (69.5%). In contrast, MD-ACO3 shares a lower sequence identity with both MD-ACO1 (78.5%) and MD-ACO2 (77.8%) in the ORF, and 68.4% (MD-ACO1) and 71% (MD-ACO2) in the 3'-UTR. Southern analysis confirmed that MD-ACO3 is encoded by a distinct gene, but the distinction between MD-ACO1 and MD-ACO2 is not as definitive. Gene expression analysis has shown that MD-ACO1 is restricted to fruit tissues, with optimal expression in ripening fruit, MD-ACO2 expression occurs more predominantly in younger fruit tissue, with some expression in young leaf tissue, while MD-ACO3 is expressed predominantly in young and mature leaf tissue, with less expression in young fruit tissue and least expression in ripening fruit. Protein accumulation studies using western analysis with specific antibodies raised to recombinant MD-ACO1 and MD-ACO3 produced in E. coli confirmed the accumulation of MD-ACO1 in mature fruit, and an absence of accumulation in leaf tissue. In contrast, MD-ACO3 accumulation occurred in younger leaf tissue, and in younger fruit tissue. Further, the expression of MD-ACO3 and accumulation of MD-ACO3 in leaf tissue is linked to fruit longevity. Analysis of the kinetic properties of the three apple ACOs using recombinant enzymes produced in E. coli revealed apparent Michaelis constants (K(m)) of 89.39 microM (MD-ACO1), 401.03 microM (MD-ACO2) and 244.5 microM (MD-ACO3) for the substrate ACC, catalytic constants (K(cat)) of 6.6x10(-2) (MD-ACO1), 3.44x10(-2) (Md-ACO2) and 9.14x10(-2) (MD-ACO3) and K(cat)/K(m) (microMs(-1)) values of 7.38x10(-4) microMs(-1) (MD-ACO1), 0.86x10(-4)Ms(-1) (MD-ACO2) and 3.8x10(-4) microMs(-1) (MD-ACO3). These results show that MD-ACO1, MD-ACO2 and MD-ACO3 are differentially expressed in apple fruit and leaf tissue, an expression pattern that is supported by some variation in kinetic properties.

Expression of MdCAS1 and MdCAS2, encoding apple beta-cyanoalanine synthase homologs, is concomitantly induced during ripening and implicates MdCASs in the possible role of the cyanide detoxification in Fuji apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) fruits

Fruit ripening involves complex biochemical and physiological changes. Ethylene is an essential hormone for the ripening of climacteric fruits. In the process of ethylene biosynthesis, cyanide (HCN), an extremely toxic compound, is produced as a co-product. Thus, most cyanide produced during fruit ripening should be detoxified rapidly by fruit cells. In higher plants, the key enzyme involved in the detoxification of HCN is beta-cyanoalanine synthase (beta-CAS). As little is known about the molecular function of beta-CAS genes in climacteric fruits, we identified two homologous genes, MdCAS1 and MdCAS2, encoding Fuji apple beta-CAS homologs. The structural features of the predicted polypeptides as well as an in vitro enzyme activity assay with bacterially expressed recombinant proteins indicated that MdCAS1 and MdCAS2 may indeed function as beta-CAS isozymes in apple fruits. RNA gel-blot studies revealed that both MdCAS1 and MdCAS2 mRNAs were coordinately induced during the ripening process of apple fruits in an expression pattern comparable with that of ACC oxidase and ethylene production. The MdCAS genes were also activated effectively by exogenous ethylene treatment and mechanical wounding. Thus, it seems like that, in ripening apple fruits, expression of MdCAS1 and MdCAS2 genes is intimately correlated with a climacteric ethylene production and ACC oxidase activity. In addition, beta-CAS enzyme activity was also enhanced as the fruit ripened, although this increase was not as dramatic as the mRNA induction pattern. Overall, these results suggest that MdCAS may play a role in cyanide detoxification in ripening apple fruits.

Expression of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase genes during the development of vegetative tissues in white clover (Trifolium repens L.) is regulated by ontological cues

Four 5' flanking sequences, comprising the 5'-UTR and upstream promoter region, have been isolated and cloned from the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase gene family of white clover (Trifolium repens L.), and designated TR-ACO1p, TR-ACO2p, TR-ACO3p and TR-ACO4p. Southern analysis confirmed that these sequences correspond to four distinct genes. The four corresponding genomic sequences have also been isolated and each shown to be comprised of four exons interspersed by three introns. The expression pattern, in vivo, directed by all four 5' flanking sequences during leaf development has been examined using GUS fusions and transformation into white clover. Here, the TR-ACO1 5' flanking sequence directs highest expression in the apical tissues, axillary buds, and leaf petiolules in younger tissues and then declines in the ageing tissues, while the TR-ACO2 5' flanking sequence directs expression in both younger, mature green and in ontologically ageing tissue. The TR-ACO3 and TR-ACO4 5' flanking sequences direct more expression in the ontological older tissues, including the axillary buds and leaf petiolules. The TR-ACO1 5' flanking sequence directed expression in the ground meristem and newly emerged leaf tissue at the apical bud of the stolon, but all four 5' flanking sequences directed expression in the ground meristem tissue of axillary buds, vascular tissue, pith and cortex of the internode and node, and the cortex and vascular tissue of the leaf petiolule, with the primacy of each promoter determined by the ontological age of the tissues. These data suggest that in vegetative tissue development of white clover, the primary cues for the transcriptional regulation of the ACO gene family are ontological in nature.

Effect of down-regulation of ethylene biosynthesis on fruit flavor complex in apple fruit

The role of ethylene in regulating sugar, acid, texture and volatile components of fruit quality was investigated in transgenic apple fruit modified in their capacity to synthesize endogenous ethylene. Fruit obtained from plants silenced for either ACS (ACC synthase; ACC-1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid) or ACO (ACC oxidase), key enzymes responsible for ethylene biosynthesis, expectedly showed reduced autocatalytic ethylene production. Ethylene suppressed fruits were significantly firmer than controls and displayed an increased shelf-life. No significant difference was observed in sugar or acid accumulation suggesting that sugar and acid composition and accumulation is not directly under ethylene control. Interestingly, a significant and dramatic suppression of the synthesis of volatile esters was observed in fruit silenced for ethylene. However, no significant suppression was observed for the aldehyde and alcohol precursors of these esters. Our results indicate that ethylene differentially regulates fruit quality components and the availability of these transgenic apple trees provides a unique resource to define the role of ethylene and other factors that regulate fruit development.

Subcellular localization of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase in apple fruit

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of ACC to the gaseous plant hormone, ethylene. Although the enzyme does not contain a typical N-terminal consensus sequence for the transportation across the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), it has recently been shown to locate extracellularly by immunolocalization study. It was of interest to examine whether the enzyme contains a signal peptide that is overlooked by structure prediction. We observed that the in vitro translated apple ACC oxidase was not co-processed or imported by the canine pancreatic rough microsomes, a system widely used to identify signal peptide for protein translocation across ER, suggesting that apple ACC oxidase does not contain a signal peptide for ER transport. A highly specific polyclonal antibody raised against the recombinant apple ACC oxidase was used to examine the subcellular localization of the enzyme in apple fruit (Malus domestica, var. Golden Delicious). The location of ACC oxidase appeared to be mainly in the cytosol of the apple fruit pericarp tissue as was demonstrated by electron microscopy using immunogold-labeled antibodies. The pre-immune serum or pre-climacteric fruit control gave essentially no positive signal. Based on these observations, we conclude that ACC oxidase is a cytosolic protein.

Osmoconditioning reduces physiological and biochemical damage induced by chilling in soybean seeds

The aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of osmoconditioning on chilling injury in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seeds during imbibition. Soybean seeds germinated readily over a large range of temperatures (10-35 degrees C), the thermal optimum being 25-30 degrees C. Low temperatures reduced the germination rate and no seed germinated at 1 degrees C. Pre-treatment of seeds at 1 degrees C reduced further germination at the optimal temperature (25 degrees C). This deleterious effect of chilling increased with duration of the treatment, and was maximal after 4 days. Osmoconditioning of seeds at 20 degrees C with a polyethylene glycol-8000 solution at -1.5 MPa for at least 24 h followed by drying back the seeds to their initial moisture content reduced their chilling sensitivity and even allowed germination at 1 degrees C. Chilling of control seeds resulted in a sharp decline in in vivo ACC-dependent ethylene production and in an increase in electrolyte leakage in the medium, which indicated deterioration of membrane properties. Osmoconditioned seeds placed at 1 degrees C did not show any reduction in their ability to convert ACC to ethylene nor any strong increase in electrolyte leakage. Imbibition of both control and osmoconditioned seeds at 1 degrees C resulted in a marked increase in ATP level (more than 50% of the total nucleotides) and energy charge; however, the latter cannot be considered as an indicator of chilling since it remained high (0.74-0.88) throughout the cold treatment. Chilling treatment longer than 6 days induced accumulation of malondialdehyde in the embryonic axis, which was more marked in control seeds than in osmoconditioned seeds, suggesting that chilling sensitivity was associated with lipid peroxidation. Imbibition of seeds at 1 degrees C resulted in an increase in superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase activity, which was generally higher in osmoconditioned seeds than in control ones. This stimulation of the antioxidant defence systems occurred during the 4 first days of chilling and decreased then in control seeds while it remained high in osmoconditioned ones. Re-warming seeds at 25 degrees C resulted in an increase in all enzyme activity involved in antioxidant defence. However this effect of re-warming decreased in control seeds after 4 days of chilling, whereas it was maintained in osmoconditioned seeds.

Expression of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase during leaf ontogeny in white clover

We examined the expression of three distinct 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase genes during leaf ontogeny in white clover (Trifolium repens). Significant production of ethylene occurs at the apex, in newly initiated leaves, and in senescent leaf tissue. We used a combination of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends to identify three distinct DNA sequences designated TRACO1, TRACO2, and TRACO3, each with homology to 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase. Southern analysis confirmed that these sequences represent three distinct genes. Northern analysis revealed that TRACO1 is expressed specifically in the apex and TRACO2 is expressed in the apex and in developing and mature green leaves, with maximum expression in developing leaf tissue. The third gene, TRACO3, is expressed in senescent leaf tissue. Antibodies were raised to each gene product expressed in Escherichia coli, and western analysis showed that the TRACO1 antibody recognizes a protein of approximately 205 kD (as determined by gradient sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacylamide gel electrophoresis) that is expressed preferentially in apical tissue. The TRACO2 antibody recognizes a protein of approximately 36.4 kD (as determined by gradient sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacylamide gel electrophoresis) that is expressed in the apex and in developing and mature green leaves, with maximum expression in mature green tissue. No protein recognition by the TRACO3 antibody could be detected in senescent tissue or at any other stage of leaf development.

Kinetic and mutagenic evidence for the role of histidine residues in the Lycopersicon esculentum 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase

The ACCO gene from Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) has been cloned into the expression vector PT7-7. The highly expressed protein was recovered in the form of inclusion bodies. ACCO is inactivated by diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) with a second-order rate constant of 170 M(-1) min(-1). The pH-inactivation rate data imply the involvement of an amino acid residue with a pK value of 6.05. The difference UV spectrum of the the DEPC-inactivated versus native ACCO showed a single peak at 242 nm indicating the modification of histidine residues. The inactivation was reversed by the addition of hydroxylamine to the DEPC-inactivated ACCO. Substrate/cofactor protection studies indicate that both iron and ACC bind near the active site, which contains histidine residues. Four histidines of ACCO were individually mutated to alanine and glycine. H39A is catalytically active, while H177A, H177G, H211A, H211G, H234A, and H234G are basically inactive. The results indicate that histidine residues 177, 211, and 234 may serve as ligands for the active-site iron of ACCO and/or may play some important structural or catalytic role.

Immunocytolocalization of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase in tomato and apple fruit

The subcellular localization of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACC oxidase), an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of ethylene, has been studied in ripening fruits of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.). Two types of antibody have been raised against (i) a synthetic peptide derived from the reconstructed pTOM13 clone (pRC13), a tomato cDNA encoding ACC oxidase, and considered as a suitable epitope by secondary-structure predictions; and (ii) a fusion protein overproduced in Escherichia coli expressing the pRC13 cDNA. Immunoblot analysis showed that, when purified by antigen affinity chromatography, both types of antibody recognized a single band corresponding to ACC oxidase. Superimposition of Calcofluor white with immunofluorescence labeling, analysed by optical microscopy, indicated that ACC oxidase is located at the cell wall in the pericarp of breaker tomato and climacteric apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) fruit. The apoplasmic location of the enzyme was also demonstrated by the observation of immunogold-labeled antibodies in this region by both optical and electron microscopy. Transgenic tomato fruits in which ACC-oxidase gene expression was inhibited by an antisense gene exhibited a considerable reduction of labeling. Immunocytological controls made with pre-immune serum or with antibodies pre-absorbed on their corresponding antigens gave no staining. The discrepancy between these findings and the targeting of the protein predicted from sequences of ACC-oxidase cDNA clones isolated so far is discussed.

Structure and expression of cDNAs encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase homologs isolated from excised mung bean hypocotyls

By screening a mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) hypocotyl cDNA library using a combination of apple (pAE12) and tomato (pTOM13) 1-aminocyclopropane 1-carboxylate (ACC)-oxidase cDNAs as probes, putative ACC-oxidase clones were isolated. Based on restriction-enzyme map and DNA-sequencing analyses, they can be divided into two homology classes, represented by pVR-ACO1 and pVR-ACO2. While pVR-ACO1 and pVR-ACO2 exhibit close homology in their coding regions, their 3'-noncoding regions are divergent. pVR-ACO1 is a 1312-bp full-length clone and contains a single open reading frame encoding 317 amino acids (MW = 35.8 kDa), while pVR-ACO2 is 1172 bp long and is a partial cDNA clone encoding 308 amino acids. These two deduced amino-acid sequences share 83% identity, and display considerable sequence conservation (73-86%) to other ACC oxidases from various plant species. Northern blot analyses of RNAs isolated from hypocotyl, leaf, and stem tissues using gene-specific probes indicate that the pVR-ACO1 transcript is present in all parts of the seedling and that the expression in hypocotyls is further increased following excision. The maximum induction of ACC-oxidase transcripts occurred at about 6 h after excision, while the maximum enzyme activity was observed at 24 h. When excised hypocotyls were treated with ethylene a further enhanced level of transcripts was observed. Aminooxyacetic acid, an inhibitor of ACC-synthase activity, and 2,5-norbornadiene, an inhibitor of ethylene action, suppressed the wound-induced accumulation of ACC-oxidase mRNA, while an addition of ethylene in these tissues restored the accumulation of ACC-oxidase mRNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Purification and properties of the apple fruit ethylene-forming enzyme

The enzyme that oxidatively converts 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (ACC) to ethylene, a key plant growth hormone, has been classified, on the basis of a comparison of homologous protein sequences (derived from the cDNA sequences), as a member of a family of non-heme iron proteins that includes plant and bacterial oxidative enzymes. This knowledge has facilitated the purification of the relatively abundant ethylene-forming enzyme to homogeneity from apple tissue. The properties of the enzyme are consistent with two other recent reports that describes its purification by different protocols, lending credence to the assertion that the key protein has been isolated. New characterizations of the protein have been conducted. Electrospray mass spectrometry shows that its molecular weight (35 331.8 +/- 5 amu) is approximately 50 amu higher than that predicted from the cDNA sequence, identifying the blocking group at the N-terminus as acetyl. The enzyme is activated by bicarbonate at low concentration but is inhibited at high concentration, with the maximum activation occurring at 5 mM. The iron concentration leading to half-maximal activity is 1 microM. The enzyme self-inactivates during turnover. The availability of the purified enzyme will permit definitive studies of the mechanism by which ethylene is produced and provide opportunities to discover molecules that inhibit the process.

Purification, properties and partial amino-acid sequence of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase from apple fruits

The enzyme which converts 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) into ethylene, ACC oxidase, has been isolated from apple fruits (Malus x domestica Borkh. cv. Golden Delicious), and for the first time stabilized in vitro by 1,10-phenanthroline and purified 170-fold to homogeneity in a five-step procedure. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-denatured and native proteins have similar molecular weights (approx. 40 kDa) indicating that the enzyme is active in its monomeric form. Antibodies raised against a recombinant ACC oxidase over-produced in Escherichia coli from a tomato cDNA recognise the apple-fruit enzyme with high specificity in both crude extracts and purified form. Glycosylation appears to be absent because of (i) the lack of reactivity towards a mixture of seven different biotinylated lectins and (ii) the absence of N-linked substitution at a potential glycosylation site, in a sequenced peptide. Phenylhydrazine and 2-methyl-1-2-dipyridyl propane do not inhibit activity, indicating that ACC oxidase is not a prosthetic-heme iron protein. The partial amino-acid sequence of the native protein has strong homology to the predicted protein of a tomato fruit cDNA demonstrated to encode ACC oxidase.

Purification and characterization of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase from apple fruit

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of ACC to ethylene. Following conventional column fractionation, the enzyme was purified 180-fold to near homogeneity with a specific activity of 20 nmol/(mg.min). This purified enzyme preparation migrated as a single protein band with an apparent molecular mass of 35 kDa on SDS/PAGE and 39 kDa on gel filtration. As in vivo, the purified enzyme required CO2 for activity. Removal of CO2 from the reaction mixture completely abolished the enzyme activity, while 0.5% atmospheric CO2 (0.15 mM in the medium) gave half-maximal activity. The purified enzyme displayed an absolute requirement for Fe2+ and ascorbate. The stoichiometry of the enzymatic reaction was determined: ACC + ascorbate + O2-->C2H4 + HCN + CO2 + dehydroascorbate + 2 H2O. A polyclonal antibody was raised against a synthetic tridecapeptide (PDLEEEYRKTMKE) whose sequence was deduced from the apple pAE12 cDNA [Dong, J. G., Olson, D., Silverstone, A. & Yang, S. F. (1992) Plant Physiol. 98, 1530-1531], which is homologous to tomato cDNAs encoding ACC oxidase. On a Western blot, this antibody specifically recognized the purified ACC oxidase protein. The amino acid composition of the purified enzyme agreed well with that deduced from the pAE12 sequence. When the protein was cleaved with CNBr and one of the peptide fragments was isolated and sequenced for 20 cycles, its sequence (KEFAVELEKLAEKLLDLLCE) precisely matched that predicted from pAE12 (residues 115-134). When preclimacteric apple fruit was treated with ethylene, a parallel increase in in vivo and in vitro ACC oxidase activities was observed, and this increase was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the level of pAE12 transcript. These observations support the conclusion that the isolated ACC oxidase protein is encoded by pAE12.

Purification and characterization of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase from apple fruit

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of ACC to ethylene. Following conventional column fractionation, the enzyme was purified 180-fold to near homogeneity with a specific activity of 20 nmol/(mg.min). This purified enzyme preparation migrated as a single protein band with an apparent molecular mass of 35 kDa on SDS/PAGE and 39 kDa on gel filtration. As in vivo, the purified enzyme required CO2 for activity. Removal of CO2 from the reaction mixture completely abolished the enzyme activity, while 0.5% atmospheric CO2 (0.15 mM in the medium) gave half-maximal activity. The purified enzyme displayed an absolute requirement for Fe2+ and ascorbate. The stoichiometry of the enzymatic reaction was determined: ACC + ascorbate + O2-->C2H4 + HCN + CO2 + dehydroascorbate + 2 H2O. A polyclonal antibody was raised against a synthetic tridecapeptide (PDLEEEYRKTMKE) whose sequence was deduced from the apple pAE12 cDNA [Dong, J. G., Olson, D., Silverstone, A. & Yang, S. F. (1992) Plant Physiol. 98, 1530-1531], which is homologous to tomato cDNAs encoding ACC oxidase. On a Western blot, this antibody specifically recognized the purified ACC oxidase protein. The amino acid composition of the purified enzyme agreed well with that deduced from the pAE12 sequence. When the protein was cleaved with CNBr and one of the peptide fragments was isolated and sequenced for 20 cycles, its sequence (KEFAVELEKLAEKLLDLLCE) precisely matched that predicted from pAE12 (residues 115-134). When preclimacteric apple fruit was treated with ethylene, a parallel increase in in vivo and in vitro ACC oxidase activities was observed, and this increase was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the level of pAE12 transcript. These observations support the conclusion that the isolated ACC oxidase protein is encoded by pAE12.