Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The role of endogenous gibberellins in the formation of α-amylase by aleurone layers of germinating barley caryopses

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Using sensitive and selective immunological assays we have shown that in germinating caryopses of Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Himalaya, the level of gibberellin A4 (GA4) rises approximately 18-to 20-fold shortly (2–4 h) before α-amylase activity increases. Gibberellin A4 is the predominant immunoreactive gibberelin during these developmental stages and reaches a peak amount of approximately 9 pmol per caryopsis about 48 h after imbibition. Isolated aleurone layers produce GA4 in the presence of an exogenous gibberellin, such as GA1, which is not a biosynthetic precursor for GA4. Experiments with inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis indicate that gibberellin synthesis is required in this tissue for the induction of α-amylase. The inductive effect of exogenously applied GA1 is indirect and appears to be mediated by GA4. Embryos form predominantly GA1; however, very little of this material is released by isolated embryos into the incubation medium. The results presented make it unlikely that the role of the embryo in the process of α-amylase induction in aleurone layers is to provide gibberellins or gibberellin precursors.

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

ABA:

abscisic acid

GA:

gibberellin

GA3 :

gibberellic acid

RIA:

radioimmunoassay

TLC:

thin-layer chromatography

References

  • Atzorn, R., Weiler, E.W. (1983a) The immunoassay of gibberellins. 1. Radioimmunoassays for the gibberellins A1, A3, A4, A7, A9 and A20. Planta 159, 1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Atzorn, R., Weiler, E.W. (1983b) The immunoassay of gibberellins. 2. Quantitation of GA3, GA4 and GA7 by ultrasensitive solid-phase enzyme immunoassays. Planta 159, 7–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernal-Lugo, I., Beachy, R.N., Varner, J.E. (1981) The response of barley aleurone layers to gibberellic acid includes the transcription of new sequences. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 102, 617–623

    Google Scholar 

  • Briggs, D.E. (1966) Gibberellin-like activity of helminthosporol and helminthosporic acid. Nature (London) 210, 418–419

    Google Scholar 

  • Briggs, D.E. (1967) Modified assay for α-amylase in germinating barley. J. Inst. Brew., London 73, 361–370

    Google Scholar 

  • Briggs, D.E. (1968) α-Amylase in germinating, decorticated barley — II. Effects of physically damaging the grain. Phytochemistry 7, 531–538

    Google Scholar 

  • Briggs, D.E. (1973) Hormones and carbohydrate metabolism in germinating cereal grains. In: Biosynthesis and its control in plants. Milborrow, B.V., ed. pp. 219–277. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Chrispeels, M.J., Varner, J.E. (1967a) Gibberellic acid-enhanced synthesis and release of α-amylase and ribonuclease by isolated barley aleurone layers. Plant Physiol. 42, 398–406

    Google Scholar 

  • Chrispeels, M.J., Varner, J.E. (1967b) Hormonal control of enzyme synthesis: On the mode of action of gibberellic acid and abscisin in aleurone layers of barley. Plant Physiol. 42, 1008–1016

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, D., Paleg, L.G. (1967) Physiological effects of gibberellic acid. X. The release of gibberellin-like substances by germinating barley embryos. Plant Physiol. 42, 1288–1296

    Google Scholar 

  • Dathe, W., Sembdner, G. (1978) Distribution of gibberellins and abscisic acid in different fruit parts of rye (Secale cereale L.). Gibberellins LXVII. Biochem. Physiol. Pflanz. 173, 440–447

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaskin, P., Gilmour, S.J., Lenton, J.R., MacMillan, J., Sponsel, V.M. (1982) Endogenous gibberellins and related compounds in developing grain and germinating seedlings of barley. Proc. 11th. Int. Conf. Plant Growth Substances, Aberystwyth, UK, Abstr. 158

  • Groat, J.I., Briggs, D.E. (1969) Gibberellins and α-amylase formation in germinating barley. Phytochemistry 8, 1615–1627

    Google Scholar 

  • Haberlandt, G. (1890) Die Kleberschicht des Gras-Endosperms als Diastase ausscheidendes Drüsengewebe. Ber. Dtsch. Bot. Ges. 8, 40–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, T.J.V., Zwar, J.A., Jacobsen, J.V. (1976) Gibberellic acid enhances the level of translatable mRNA for α-amylase in barley aleurone layers. Nature (London) 260, 166–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R.L., Armstrong, J.E. (1971) Evidence for osmotic regulation of hydrolytic enzyme production in germinating barley seeds. Plant Physiol. 48, 137–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R.L., Varner, J.E. (1967) The bioassay of gibberellins. Planta 72, 155–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehmann, H., Miersch, O., Schütte, H.R. (1975) Synthese von Abscisyl-β-D-glucopyranosid. Z. Chem. 15, 443

    Google Scholar 

  • Mozer, T.J. (1980) Control of protein synthesis in barley aleurone layers by the plant hormones gibberellic acid and abscisic acid. Cell 20, 479–485

    Google Scholar 

  • Okuda, M., Kato, J., Tamura, S. (1967) Effects of helminthosporol and helminthosporic acid on activation of α-amylase production in barley endosperm. Planta 72, 289–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Paleg, L.G. (1960) Physiological effects of gibberellic acid. II. On starch hydrolyzing enzymes of barley endosperm. Plant Physiol. 35, 902–906

    Google Scholar 

  • Paleg, L.G., Sparrow, D.H.B. (1962) Gibberellic acid and the malting of embryo-less barley. Nature (London) 193, 1102–1103

    Google Scholar 

  • Radley, M. (1967) Site of production of gibberellin-like substances in germinating barley embryos. Planta 75, 164–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Thimann, K.V. (1977) Hormones and the germination of seeds. In: Hormone action in the whole life of plants, pp. 7–12, University of Massachussetts Press, Amherst

    Google Scholar 

  • Trewavas, A.J. (1982) Growth substance sensitivity: The limiting factor in plant development. Physiol. Plant. 55, 60–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiler, E.W. (1980) Radioimmunoassay for the differential and direct analysis of free and conjugated abscisic acid in plant extracts. Planta 148, 262–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiler, E.W., Jourdan, P.S., Conrad, W. (1981) Levels of indole-3-acetic acid in intact and decapitated coleoptiles as determined by a specific and sensitive solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. Planta 153, 561–571

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiler, E.W., Wieczorek, U. (1981) Determination of femtomol quantities of gibberellic acid by radioimmunoassay. Planta 152, 159–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Yomo, H., Iinuma, H. (1966) Production of gibberellin-like substance in the embryo of barley during germination. Planta 71, 113–118

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Pflanzenphysiologie, Ruhr-Universität, Postfach 102148, D-4630, Bochum, Federal Republic of Germany

    Rainer Atzorn & Elmar W. Weiler

Authors
  1. Rainer Atzorn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elmar W. Weiler
    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

Atzorn, R., Weiler, E.W. The role of endogenous gibberellins in the formation of α-amylase by aleurone layers of germinating barley caryopses. Planta 159, 289–299 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393166

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393166

Key words

Search

Navigation