Summary
The effects of IAA and ethylene have been compared on the development of epidermal cells in intact shoots of etiolated pea plants. In the expanding sub-apical region ethylene has little effect on cell volume over 24 h but between 12 and 24 h rapid increases occur in cell wall thickening, part of which is due to the deposition of longitudinally orientated microfibrils adjacent to the plasmalemma. During this period, there is a rise in the levels of extractable cytoplasmic peroxidase. Two distinct phases of growth occur in response to IAA: an initial stimulation of cell expansion which causes the wall to stretch and decrease inthickness relative to the control (this phase is considered to be the true auxin response), followed some 12 h later by a decline in the rate of expansion and a thickening of the cell walls. During the first phase, peroxidase levels are depressed by IAA but a stimulation occurs after prolonged treatment. The effects observed in the second phase are believed to be mediated by ethylene which is synthesized at a high rate following treatment with IAA. Epidermal cells of mature internodes show a slight first phase expansion in response to IAA and their walls become a little thinner. Ethylene, however, has no effect on either expansion or wall thickness of mature cells even though the activity of peroxidase and the level of hydroxyproline-rich protein in the wall increases. These findings are discussed in relation to the dual regulation of cell growth by auxin and ethylene and the biphasic nature of the auxin response.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andreae, W. A., Ysselstein, M. W. H. van: Studies on 3-indoleacetic acid metabolism. III. The uptake of 3-indoleacetic acid by pea epicotyls and its conversion to 3-indoleacetylaspartic acid. Plant Physiol. (Lancaster) 31, 235–240 (1956)
Castle, E. S.: Membrane tension and orientation of structure in the plant cell wall. J. cell. comp. Physiol. 10, 113–121 (1973)
Chafe, S. C., Wardrop, A. B.: Fine structural observations on the epidermis. I. The epidermal cell wall. Planta (Berl.) 107, 269–278 (1972)
Cleland, R., Karlsnes, A. M.: A possible role of hydroxyproline-containing protein in the cessation of cell elongation. Plant Physiol. (Lancaster) 42, 669–671 *1967)
Davies, P. J.: The fate of exogenously applied indoleacetic acid in light grown stems. Physiol. Plantarum (Cph.) 27, 262–270 (1972)
Galston, A. W., Lavee, S., Siegel, B. Z.: The induction and repression of peroxidase isoenzymes by 3-indoleacetic acid. I.: Biochemistry and physiology of plant growth substances, p. 455–472, Wightman, F., Setterfield, G., eds. Ottawa: Runge Press 1968
Hallaway, M., Osborne, D. J.: Ethylene: A factor in defoliation induced by auxin. Science 163, 1067–1068 (1968)
Iterson, G. van: A few observations on the hairs of the stamens of Tradescantia virginica. Protoplasma (Wien) 27, 190–211 (1937)
Jackson, M. B., Osborne, D. J.: Abscisic acid, auxin and ethylene in explant abscission. J. exp. Bot. 23, 849–862 (1972)
Leach, A. A.: Notes on a modification of Neuman and Logan method for the determination of hydroxyproline. Biochem. J. 74, 70–71 (1970)
Masuda, Y., Yamamoto, R.: Growth of auxin-induced stem elongation by the epidermis. Physiol. Plantarum (Cph.) 27, 109–115 (1972)
Morris, D. A., Briant, R. E., Thompson, P. G.: The transport and metabolism of 14C-labelled indoleacetic acid in intact pea seedlings. Planta (Berl.) 89, 178–197 (1969)
Osborne, D. J.: Ethylene and protein synthesis. In: Biosynthesis and its control in plants, p. 127–142, B. V. Milborrow, ed. New York: Acad. Press 1973
Osborne, D. J., Mullins, M. G.: Auxin, ethylene and kinetin in a carrier protein model system for the polar transport of auxin in petiole segments of Phaseolus vulgaris. New Phytol. 68, 977–991 (1969)
Osborne, D. J., Ridge, I., Sargent, J. A.: Ethylene and the growth of plant cells: role of peroxidase and hydroxyproline-rich proteins. In: Plant Growth Substances 1970, p. 534–542, D. J. Carr, ed. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1972
Pratt, H. K., Goeschl, J. D.: Physiological roles of ethylene in plants. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 20, 541–584 (1969)
Ridge, I.: The control of cell shape and rate of cell expansion by ethylene: effects on microfibril orientation and cell wall extensibility in etiolated peas. Acta bot. neerl. 22, 144–158 (1973)
Ridge, I., Osborne, D. J.: Hydroxyproline and peroxidase in cell walls of Pisum sativum: regulation by ethylene. J. exp. Bot. 21, 843–856 (1970)
Ridge, I., Osborne, D. J.: Role of peroxidase when hydroxyproline-rich protein in plant cell walls is increased by ethylene. Nature (Lond.) New Biol. 229, 205–208 (1971)
Sadava, D., Chrispeels, M. J.: Hydroxyproline-rich cell wall protein (extensin): Role in the cessation of elongation in excised pea epicotyls. Develop. Biol. 30, 49–55 (1973)
Sargent, J. A., Atack, A. V., Osborne, D. J.: Orientation of cell growth in the etiolated pea stem. Effect of ethylene and auxin on cell wall deposition. Planta (Berl.) 109, 185–192 (1973)
Setterfield, G.: Arrangement of cellulose microfibrils in walls of elongating parenchyma cells. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 4, 377–382 (1958)
Veen, B. W.: Control of plant shape by cell wall structure. Kon. ned. Akad. Wet. (Amst.) 73, 118–121 (1970)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sargent, J.A., Atack, A.V. & Osborne, D.J. Auxin and ethylene control of growth in epidermal cells of Pisum sativum: A biphasic response to auxin. Planta 115, 213–225 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390518
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390518