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Embedding substances of pit membranes in softwood tracheids and their degradation by enzymes

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Summary

The bordered pit membranes of conifer tracheids, which are embedded in amorphous substances throughout the differentiating zone, are perforated in the margo region in the process of maturing. The pit membranes of differentiating tracheids were treated with hemicellulase and pectinase, and the morphological changes caused by the enzymes were examined. Hemicellulase degraded only the embedding substances of the margo, whereas pectinase caused digestion in the future torus region.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wood Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Yuji Imamura, Hiroshi Harada & Hiroshi Saiki

Authors
  1. Yuji Imamura
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  2. Hiroshi Harada
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  3. Hiroshi Saiki
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Additional information

The authors are indebted to Dr. T. Higuchi (Wood Research Institute, Kyoto University) for his considerate advice and discussion. They also express their appreciation to Dr. W. Liese (Universität Hamburg) for his critical reading of the manuscript.

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Imamura, Y., Harada, H. & Saiki, H. Embedding substances of pit membranes in softwood tracheids and their degradation by enzymes. Wood Science and Technology 8, 243–254 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351858

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351858

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