Abstract
Freshly harvested potatoes contain low levels of total invertase and high levels of invertase inhibitor. Total invertase increases sharply when potatoes are placed in cold storage, but the inhibitor is not depleted in all varieties. The absence of basal invertase activity in Norchip tubers indicates that an excess of invertase is not required for reducing sugar formation. Analyses of 37 varieties and seedlings after 3 months cold storage revealed that the reducing sugar content is not proportional to the invertase activity. High sugar contents are associated with low inhibitor levels, but low sugars are not necessarily associated with high inhibitor levels. The results indicate that invertase participates in reducing sugar formation, but other factors are responsible for the regulation of starch-sugar conversion in potatoes during cold storage.
Resumen
Papas acabadas de cosechar contienen niveles bajos de invertasa total y niveles altos de invertasa inhibidora. Invertasa total incrementa rapidamente cunado las papas se almacenan al frío, pero el inhibidor no desaparece en todas las variedades. La ausencia de actividad basal de invertasa en tubérculos Norchip indica que un exceso de invertasa no es requerido papa la formación de azúcar reductor. El análisis de 37 variedades y brotes después de 3 meses de almacenamiento al frío, reveló que el contenido en azúcar reductor no es proporcional a la actividad de invertasa. Altos contenidos en azúcar están asociados con niveles bajos de inhibidor, pero azúcares bajos no están necesariamente asociados con niveles bajos del inhibidor. Los resultados indican que la invertasa toma parte en la formación de azúcar reductor, pero otras factores son responsables por la regulación de la conversión de almidón a azúcar en las papas durante el almacenamiento.
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This laboratory is cooperatively operated by the Eastern Utilization Research and Development Division, ARS, USDA, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station; North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station; and the Red River Valley Potato Growers' Association.
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Pressey, R. Role of invertase in the accumulation of sugars in cold-stored potatoes. American Potato Journal 46, 291–297 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02877144
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02877144