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Regulation of α-galactosidase gene expression in primary foliage leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) during dark-induced senescence

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Abstract

α-Galactosidase activity (α-d-galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.22) increased during dark-induced senescence in primary foliage leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Steffi). The changes in activity were accompanied by parallel changes in expression of the HvSF11 gene encoding a putative α-galactosidase. The transcript level of HvSF23 encoding a second putative α-galactosidase stayed constant during leaf senescence. Both α-galactosidase activity and the level of the HvSF11 transcript decreased after exogenous application of sucrose and glucose to detached dark-incubated leaves. In contrast, the HvSF23 transcript level was not influenced by sugars. Application of glucose analogs to detached and dark-incubated leaves revealed that phosphorylation of hexose by hexokinase modulates both the α-galactosidase activity and the expression of HvSF11. These results indicate that the expression of the genes coding for two α-galactosidase isoenzymes is regulated by different signalling pathways, suggesting different functions for the two gene products.

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Abbreviations

Glc :

Glucose

2-d-Glc :

2-Deoxy-glucose

6-d-Glc :

6-Deoxy-glucose

3-OMG :

3-O-Methyl-glucose

Suc :

Sucrose

RFOs :

Oligosaccharides of the raffinose family

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Acknowledgement

This work was partly supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG Kr1350/3-1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Botany, University of Kiel, Olshausenstrasse 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany

    Bozena Chrost, Annekatrin Daniel & Karin Krupinska

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  1. Bozena Chrost
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  2. Annekatrin Daniel
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  3. Karin Krupinska
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Correspondence to Bozena Chrost.

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Chrost, B., Daniel, A. & Krupinska, K. Regulation of α-galactosidase gene expression in primary foliage leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) during dark-induced senescence. Planta 218, 886–889 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1166-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1166-5

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