Abstract
The cell wall degrading enzyme polygalacturonase (E.C. 3.2.1.15) is not detectable in green tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill). Activity appears at the onset of ripening and in ripe fruit it is one of the major cell-wall-bound proteins. Radioimmunoassay results, employing an antibody against purified polygalacturonase, suggest that during ripening the enzyme is synthesised de novo. Radioimmunoassay data also show that the low level of polygalacturonase in “Never ripe” mutants and the lack of activity in “ripening inhibitor” mutants can be correlated to the levels of immunologically detectable polygalacturonase protein.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- PG:
-
polygalacturonase
- Nr :
-
Never ripe mutation
- rin :
-
ripening inhibitor mutation
References
Brady, C.J., Palmer, J.K., O'Connell, P.B.H., Smillie, R.M. (1970) An increase in protein synthesis during ripening of the banana fruit. Phytochemistry 9, 1037–1047
De Swardt, G.H., Swanepoel, J.H., Dubenage, A.J. (1973) Relationships between changes in ribosomal RNA and total protein synthesis, and the respiration climacteric in pericarp tissues of tomatoes. Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 70, 358–363
Dickinson, D.B., McCollum, D.P. (1964) Cellulase in tomato fruits. Nature 203, 525–527
Frenkel, C., Klein, I., Dilley, D.R. (1968) Protein synthesis in relation to ripening of pome fruits. Plant Physiol. 43, 1146–1153
Grierson, D., Tucker, G.A., Robertson, N.G. (1981) The molecular biology of ripening. In: Biochemistry of fruit and vegetables, pp. 179–191, Friend, J., ed. Academic Press, London
Hobson, G.E. (1963) Pectinesterase in normal and abnormal tomato fruit. Biochem. J. 86, 358–365
Hobson, G.E. (1964) Polygalacturonase in normal and abnormal tomato fruit. Biochem. J. 92, 324–332
Hobson, G.E. (1965) The firmness of tomato fruit in relation to polygalacturonase activity. J. Hortic. Sci. 40, 66–72
Hobson, G.E. (1967) The effect of alleles at the Nr locus on the ripening of tomato fruit. Phytochemistry 6, 1337–1341
Hobson, G.E. (1980) Effect of the introduction of non-ripening mutant genes on the composition and enzyme content of tomato fruit. J. Sci. Food Agric. 31, 578–584
Hulme, A.C. (1972) The proteins of fruits: their involvements as enzymes in ripening. A review. J. Food Technol. 7, 343–371
Richmond, A., Biale, J.B. (1966) Protein synthesis in avocado fruit tissue. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 115, 211–214
Sacher, J.A. (1966) Permeability characteristics and amino acids incorporation during sensecence (ripening) of banana tissue. Plant Physiol. 41, 701–708
Sacher, J.A. (1973) Senescence and postharvest physiology. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 24, 197–224
Tigchelaar, E.C., McGlasson, W.B., Buescher, R.W. (1978) Genetic regulation of tomato fruit ripening. Hortscience 13, 508–513
Tomes, M.L. (1963) Temperature inhibition of carotene synthesis in tomato. Bot. Gaz. (Chicago) 124, 180–185
Tucker, G.A., Robertson, N.G., Grierson, D. (1980) Changes in polygalacturonase isoenzymes during the ‘ripening’ of normal and mutant tomato fruit. Eur. J. Biochem. 112, 119–124
Tucker, G.A., Robertson, N.G., Grierson, D. (1981) The conversion of tomato fruit polygalacturonase isoenzyme 2 into isoenzyme 1 in vitro. Eur. J. Biochem. 115, 87–90
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tucker, G.A., Grierson, D. Synthesis of polygalacturonase during tomato fruit ripening. Planta 155, 64–67 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00402933
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00402933