Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Photosynthetic carbon metabolism during leaf ontogeny in Zea mays L.: Enzyme studies

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The activities of several enzymes, including ribulose-1,5-diphosphate (RuDP) carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.39) and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.31) were measured as a function of leaf age in Z. mays. Mature leaf tissue had a RuDP-carboxylase activity of 296.7 μmol CO2 g-1 fresh weight h-1 and a PEP-carboxylase activity of 660.6 μmol CO2 g-1 fresh weight h-1. In young corn leaves the activity of the two enzymes was 11 and 29%, respectively, of the mature leaves. In senescent leaf tissue, RuDP carboxylase activity declined more rapidly than that of any of the other enzymes assayed. On a relative basis the activities of NADP malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40), aspartate (EC 2.6.1.1) and alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2), and NAD malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) exceeded those of both PEP and RuDP carboxylase in young and senescent leaf tissue. Pulse-chase labeling experiments with mature and senescent leaf tissue show that the predominant C4 acid differs between the two leaf ages. Labeling of alanine in senescent tissue never exceeded 4% of the total 14C remaining during the chase period, while in mature leaf tissue alanine accounted for 20% of the total after 60 s in 12CO2. The activity of RuDP carboxylase during leaf ontogeny in Z. mays parallels the development of the activity of this enzyme in C3 plants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

RuDP:

ribulose-1,5-diphosphate

PEP:

phosphoenol pyruvate

PGA:

3-phosphoglycerate

References

  • Alberte, R.S., Thornber, J.P., Fiscus, E.L.: Water stress effects on the content and organization of chlorophyll in mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts of maize. Plant Physiol. 59, 351–353 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnon, D.I.: Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts. Polyphenol oxidase in Beta vulgaris. Plant Physiol. 24, 1–15 (1949)

    Google Scholar 

  • Björkman, O., Pearcy, R.W., Boynton, J.E., Nobs, M.A.: Hybrids between Atriplex species with an without β-carboxylation photosynthesis. In: Carnegie Inst. Yr. Bk. for 1969, pp. 624–648 (1971)

  • Bradbeer, J.W.: The activities of the photosynthetic carbon cycle enzymes of greening bean leaves. New, Phytol. 68, 233–245 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brady, C.J.: Changes accompanying growth and senescence and effect of physiological stress. In: Chemistry and biochemistry of herbage, vol. 2, pp. 317–350, Butler, G.W., Bailey, R.W., eds. London: Academic Press 1973

    Google Scholar 

  • Chollet, R., Ogreh, W.L.: Greening in a virescent mutant of maize. II. Enzyme studies. Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 68, 45–54 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Coombs, J., Baldry, C.W., Bucke, C.: The C4 pathway in Pennisetum purpureum. I. The allosteric nature of PEP carboxylase. Planta 110, 95–107 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  • Creach, E., Michel, J.P., Thibault, P.: Aspartic acid as an internal CO2 reservoir in Zea mays: Effect of oxygen concentration and of far-red illumination. Planta 118, 91–100 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickman, D.I.: Chlorophyll, Ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase and Hill reaction activity in developing leaves of Populus deltoides. Plant Physiol. 48, 143–145 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Downton, W.J.S.: The occurrence of C4 photosynthesis among plants. Photosynthetica 9, 96–105 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Giles, K.L., Beadsell, M.F., Cohen, D.: Cellular and ultrastructural changes in mesophyll and bundle sheath cells of maize in response to water stress. Plant Physiol. 54, 208–212 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, D., Hatch, M.D., Slack, C.R., Smillie, R.M.: Light-induced formation of enzymes of the C4-dicarboxylic acid pathway of photosynthesis in detached leaves. Phytochemistry 9, 521–532 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutierrez, M., Kanai, R., Huber, S.C., Ku, S.B., Edwards, G.E.: Photosynthesis in mesophyll protoplasts and bundle sheath cells of various types of C4 plants. I. Carboxylases and CO2 fixation studies. Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 72, 305–319 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hatch, M.D., Slack, C.R., Bull, T.A.: Light-induced changes in the content of some enzymes of the C4-dicarboxylic acid pathway of photosynthesis. Phytochemistry 8, 697–706 (1969)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hattersley, P.W., Watson, L., Osmond, C.B.: In situ immunofluorecent labelling of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase in leaves of C3 and C4 plants. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 4, 523–540 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsiao, T.C.: Plant responses to water stress. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 24, 519–570 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Huffaker, R.C., Obendorf, R.L., Keller, C.J., Kleinkopf, G.E.: Effects of light intensity of photosynthetic carboxylase phase enzymes and chlorophyll synthesis in greening leaves of Hordeum vulgare L. Plant Physiol. 41, 913–918 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kannangara, C.G., Woolhouse, H.W.: Changes in the enzyme activity of soluble protein fractions in the course of foliar senescence in Perilla fructescens (L.) Britt. New Phytol. 67, 533–542 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawashima, N., Wildman, S.G.: Fraction I protein. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 21, 325–358 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawashima, N., Imai, A., Tamaki, E.: Studies on protein metabolism in higher plant leaves. III. Changes in the soluble protein components with leaf growth. Plant & Cell Physiol. 8, 447–458 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, R.A.: Relationship between leaf development, carboxylase enzyme activities and photorespiration in the C4-plant Portulaca oleracea L. Planta 128, 149–154 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, R.A., Laetsch, W.M.: Relationship between leaf development and primary photosynthetic products in the C4 plant Portulaca oleracea L. Planta 115, 113–124 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinkopf, G.E., Huffaker, R.C., Matheson, A.: Light-induced de-novo synthesis of RuDP carboxylase in greening leaves of barley. Plant Physiol. 46, 416–418 (1970b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry, O.H., Rosebrough, N.J., Farr, A.L., Randall, R.J.: Protein measurement with the Folin reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193, 262–275 (1951)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ludlow, M.M., Wilson, G.L.: Photosynthesis of tropical pasture plants. III. Leaf age. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 24, 1077–1087 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nimbalkar, J.D., Joshi, G.: Photosynthesis and mineral metabolism in senescent leaves of sugarcane Var. Co. 740. Indian Agric. 18, 257–264 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Obendorf, R.L., Huffaker, R.C.: Influence of age and illumination on distribution of several Calvin cycle enzymes in greening barley leaves. Plant Physiol. 45, 579–582 (1070)

    Google Scholar 

  • Peoples, M.B., Dalling, M.J.: Degradation of ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase by proteolytic enzymes from crude extracts of wheat leaves. Planta. 138, 153–160 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L.W., Huffaker, R.C.: Loss of ribulose-1,5-disphosphate carboxylase and increase in proteolytic activity during senescence of detached primary bean leaves. Plant Physiol. 55, 1009–1015 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rathnam, C.K.M., Edwards, G.E.: Intracellular localization of certain photosynthetic enzymes in bundle sheath cells of plants possessing the C4 pathway of photosynthesis. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 171, 214–225 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Repo, E., Hatch, M.D.: Photosynthesis in Gomphrena celosioides and its classification amongst C4-pathway plants Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 3, 863–876 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Slack, C.R., Hatch, M.D., Goodchild, D.J.: Distribution of enzymes in mesophyll and parenchyma-sheath chloroplasts of maize leaves in relation to the C4-Dicarboxylic acid pathway of photosynthesis. Biochem. J. 114, 489–498 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D.C., Bassham, J.A., Kirk, M.: Dynamics of the photosynthesis of carbon compounds. II. Amino acid synthesis. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 48, 299–313 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, L.E., Kennedy, R.A.: Relationship between early photosynthetic products, photorespiration and stage of leaf development in Zea mays. Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 81, 314–322 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zelitch, I.: Plant productivity and the control of photorespiration. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 70, 579–584 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Larry E. Williams

    Present address: Dept. of Agronomy & Range Science, Univ. of California, 95616, Davis, CA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of Iowa, 52242, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Larry E. Williams & Robert A. Kennedy

Authors
  1. Larry E. Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert A. Kennedy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Williams, L.E., Kennedy, R.A. Photosynthetic carbon metabolism during leaf ontogeny in Zea mays L.: Enzyme studies. Planta 142, 269–274 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00385076

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00385076

Key words

Search

Navigation