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The carbohydrate catabolism of Zostera marina influenced by lower salinity during the pre-germination stage

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Abstract

The distribution of starch granules in ungerminated seeds of Zostera marina was examined by electron microscopy and histochemistry. Quantitative changes during germination in starch and sugars [glucose/maltosaccharides (MS), sucrose, and fructose] were examined in the seeds using biochemical methods. At natural seawater salinity (30.2 psu), the number of starch granules and the amount of starch markedly decreased, resulting in no increase in the sugar content in the embryos during the early germination stage. A substantial increase in sugars in the shoots occurred after the development of true leaves, probably due to photosynthetic activity in the green true leaves. At natural seawater salinity, the amount of starch did not significantly change during the initial 14 days of germination. In contrast, at lower salinities, starch levels decreased significantly from day 0 to day 6, resulting in higher levels of glucose/MS and fructose in the basal hypocotyls. These results suggest that compared with the salinity of natural seawater, lower salinity may interfere with starch catabolism in seeds, thereby causing the seed coat to break open earlier.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by Professors Tomonori Shiraishi and Kazuhiro Toyoda, Graduate School of Natural Sciences and Technology, Okayama University. We also express our thanks to Mr. Noriyasu Nishimyo, President of Nishimyo Fishery (Hiroshima Pref.), for supporting the collection of Z. marina seeds in his oyster yard.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu, 514-8507, Japan

    Hiroyuki Sugiura

  2. Institute for Biological Process Research, Akatsuka Garden Co., Ltd., Tsu, 514-2293, Japan

    Hiroyuki Sugiura & Yoko Hiroe

  3. Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan

    Tomoko Suzuki

  4. Faculty of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu, 514-8507, Japan

    Miyuki Maegawa

  5. Laboratory of Phycology, Faculty of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu, 514-8507, Japan

    Hiroyuki Sugiura

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  1. Hiroyuki Sugiura
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  2. Yoko Hiroe
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  3. Tomoko Suzuki
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Correspondence to Hiroyuki Sugiura.

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Sugiura, H., Hiroe, Y., Suzuki, T. et al. The carbohydrate catabolism of Zostera marina influenced by lower salinity during the pre-germination stage. Fish Sci 75, 1205–1217 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-009-0156-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-009-0156-3

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