Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Phonolic components of the primary cell wall and their possible rôle in the hormonal regulation of growth

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The insoluble cell wall polymers of cultured spinach cells contained esterified ferulic acid at 2–5 mg g-1 dry weight. Gibberellic acid (GA3, 10-11–10-6 M) promoted the expansion of these cells and simultaneoulsy suppressed peroxidase secretion, reduced the activity of cellular phenylanine ammonia-lyase and favoured the accumulation of wall-esterified ferulate and of extracellular soluble phenolic aglycones. When growth was prevented with 0·7 M sorbitol, GA3 still evoked the phenolic and peroxidase effects. It is suggested that peroxidase restricts growth by rigidifying the cell wall in two ways: (a) covalently by catalysing the conversion of feruloyl side-chains into diferuloyl cross-links and (b) non-covalently by catalysing the conversion of soluble phenolics into hydrophobic quinones (or polymers). GA3 is hypothesised to prevent this rigidification by inhibiting peroxidase secretion.

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

A 28 :

absorbance at 280 nm

a 1%1cnt :

absorptivity coefficient

2,4-D:

2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

EtOAc:

ethylacetate

GA3 :

gibberellic acid

mol wt:

molecular weight

PAL:

phenylalanine ammonia-lyase

PCV:

packed cell volume

sh:

shoulder or inflection

TLC:

thin-layer chromatography

UV:

ultra-violet

λ:

wavelength

IAA:

indoleacetic acid

References

  • Aeschbach, R., Amado, R., Neukom, H.: Formation of dityrosine cross-links in proteins by oxidation of tyrosine residues. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 439, 292–301 (1976)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bergmann, L., Rennenberg, H.: Efflux und Produktion von Glutathion in Suspensionskulturen von Nicotiana tabacum. Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 88, 175–185 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chance, B.: Oxidase and peroxidase reactions in the presence of dihydroxymaleic acid. J. Biol. Chem. 197, 577–589 (1952)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chou, C., Lin, H.: Autointoxication mechanism of Oriza sativa: I. Phytotoxic effects of decomposing rice residues in soil. J. Chem. Ecol. 2, 353–367 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleland, R.E.: Gibberellins. In: Physiology of Plant Growth and Development, pp. 49–81, Wilkins, M.B., ed. London: McGraw-Hill 1969

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleland, R.E.: The control of cell enlargement. In: Integration of Activity in the Higher Plant, pp. 101–115, Symposium XXXI, Society for Experimental Biology. Cambridge University Press 1977

  • Dalton, C.C., Street, H.E.: The role of the gas phase in the greening and growth of illuminated cell suspension cultures of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). In Vitro 12, 485–494 (1976)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dudley, R.K., Northeote, D.H.: Regulation of induction of phenylalanine ammonia lyase in suspension cultures of Phaseolus vulgaris. Planta (in press)

  • Engelsma, G.: Destruction of hydroxycinnamic acids coupled to oxidation of indolyl-3-acetic acid by peroxidase as a possible mechanism for adaptive changes in indolyl-3-acetic acid oxidase activity. Nature 202, 88–89 (1964)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fausch, H., Kündig, W., Neukom, H.: Ferulic acid as a component of a glycoprotein from wheat flour. Nature 199, 287 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fry, S.C.: Metabolic corollaries of gibberellin-stimulated growth. PhD Thesis, University of Leicester 1978

  • Fulcher, R.G., O'Brien, T.P., Lee, J.W.: Studies on the aleurone layer. I. Conventional and fluorescence microcopy of the cell wall with emphasis on phenol-carbohydrate complexes in wheat. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 25, 23–34 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Galston, A.W., Davies, P.J.: Hormonal regulation in higher plants. Science 163, 1288–1296 (1969)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geissmann, T., Neukom, H.: On the composition of the water-soluble wheat flour pentosans and their oxidative gelation. Lebensm. Wiss. Technol. 6, 59–62 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross, G.G., Janse, C., Elstner, E.F.: Involvement of malate, monophenols and the superoxide radical in hydrogen peroxide formation by isolated cell walls from horseradish (Armoracia lapathifolia Gilib.). Planta 136, 271–276 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Haddon, L., Northcote, D.H.: The influence of gibberellic acid and abscisic acid on cell and tissue differentiation of bean callus. J. Cell Sci. 20, 47–55 (1976)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hahlbrock, K., Schröder, J.: Specific effects on enzyme activities upon dilution of Petroselinum hortense cell cultures into water. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 171, 500–506 (1975)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Halevy, A.H.: Interaction of growth-retarding compounds and gibberellin on indoleacetic acid oxidase and peroxidase of cucumber seedlings. Plant Physiol. 38, 731–737 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, K.R., Zucker, M.: The biosynthesis of chlorogenic acid and related conjugates of the hydroxycinnamic acids. J. Biol. Chem. 238, 1105–1115 (1963)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, P.J., Hartley, R.D.: Detection of bound ferulic acid in cell walls of the Gramineae by ultraviolet fluorescence microscopy. Nature 259, 508–510 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartley, R.D.: Carbohydrate esters of ferulic acid as components of cell-walls of Lolium multiflorum. Phytochemistry 12, 661–665 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartley, R.C., Jones, E.C.: Diferulic acid as a component of cell walls of Lolium multiflorum. Phytochemistry 15, 1157–1160 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartley, R.D., Jones, E.C.: Phenolic components and degradability of cell walls of grass and legume species. Phytochemistry 16, 1531–1534 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinzmann, U., Seitz, U.: Synthesis of phenylalanine ammonialyase in anthocyanin-containing and anthocyanin-free callus cells of Daucus carota L. Planta 135, 63–67 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Horner, M.: PhD Thesis, University of Leicester 1977

  • Johansen, D.A.J.: Plant Microtechnique. London: McGraw-Hill 1940

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamerbeek, G.A.: Peroxydase content of dwarf types and giant types of plants. Acta Bot. Neerl. 5, 257–263 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  • King, P.J.: Studies on the growth in culture of plant cells. XX. Utilization of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by steady state cell cultures of Acer pseudoplatanus L. J. Exp. Bot. 27, 1053–1072 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamport, D.T.A.: Cell wall carbohydrates in relation to structure and function. In: Frontiers of Plant Tissue Culture 1978, pp. 235–244. Thorpe, T.A., ed. Calgary: International Association for Plant Tissue Culture 1978

    Google Scholar 

  • Levand, O., Heinicke, R.M.: Ferulic acid as a component of a complex carbohydrate polymer of bromelain. Phytochemistry 7, 1659–1662 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry, O.H., Rosebrough, N.J., Farr, A.L., Randall, R.J.: Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193, 265–275 (1951)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Markwalder, H.U., Neukom, H.: Diferulic acid as a possible crosslink in hemicelluloses from wheat germ. Phytochemistry 15, 836–837 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • McCune, D.C., Galston, A.W.: Inverse effects of gibberellin on peroxidase activity and growth in dwarf strains of peas and corn. Plant Physiol. 34, 416–418 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, C.O.: Cytokinin modification of metabolism of p-coumaric acid by a cell suspension culture of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill). Planta 140, 193–199 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Murashge, T., Skoog, F.: A revised medium for rapid growth and bio assays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol. Plant. 15, 473–497 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  • Neukom, H.: Chemistry and properties of the non-starchy polysaccharides (NSP) of wheat fluor. Lebensm. Wiss. Technol. 9, 143–148 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Northcote, D.H.: Chemistry of the plant cell wall. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol 23, 113–132 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • van Overbeek, J.: The growth hormone and the dwarf type of growth in corn. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 21, 292–299 (1935)

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmieri, S., Odoardi, M., Soressi, G.P., Salamini, F.: Indoleacetic acid oxidase activity in two high-peroxidase tomato mutants. Physiol. Plant. 42, 85–90 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ram, C., Balasimha, D., Tewari, M.N.: Effect of gibberellic acid and auxins on growth, sulphydryl content and peroxidase activity in Phaseolus radiatus L. seedlings. Plant Biochem. J. 3, 128–133 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Saunders, B.C., Holmes-Siedle, M.A., Stark, B.P.: Peroxidase: the properties and uses of a versatile enzyme and of some related catalysts. London: Butterworths 1964

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, S.M.: The biochemistry of lignin formation. Physiol. Plant. 8, 20–32 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  • Skytt Andersen, A., Muir, R.M.: Gibberellin induced changes in diffusible auxins from Savoy cabbage. Physiol. Plant. 22, 354–363 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stafford, H.A.: Comparison of lignin-like products found naturally or induced in tissues of Phleum, Elodea and Coleus and in a paper peroxidase system. Plant Physiol. 39, 350–360 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stonier, T., Yang, H.: Studies on auxin protectors. XI. Inhibition of peroxidase-catalysed oxidation of glutathione by auxin protectors and o-dihydroxyphenols. Plant Physiol. 51, 391–395 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuart, D.A., Jones, R.L.: Roles of extensibility and turgor in gibberellin- and dark-stimulated growth. Plant Physiol. 59, 61–68 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, J.A., Rice, E.L.: Microbial decomposition of ferulic acid in soil. J. Chem. Ecol. 1, 41–58 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitmore, F.W.: Phenolic acids in wheat coleoptile cell walls. Plant Physiol. 53, 728–731 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Widholm, J.M.: The use of fluorescein diacetate and phenosafranine for determining viability of cultured plant cells. Stain Technol. 47, 189–194 (1972)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Worthington Biochemical Corp., N.J., USA. In: Worthington Enzyme Manual 1972

  • Young, M., Steelink, C.: Peroxidase catalyzed oxidation of naturality occurring phenols and hardwood lignis. Phytochemistry 12, 2851–2861 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zmrhal, Z., Macháčková, I.: Isolation and characterization of wheat peroxidase isozyme B1. Phytochemistry 17, 1517–1520 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. S. C. Fry

    Present address: Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, CB2 1QW, Cambridge, U.K.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botanical Laboratories, University of Leicester, LE1 7RH, Leicester, U.K.

    S. C. Fry

Authors
  1. S. C. Fry
    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

Fry, S.C. Phonolic components of the primary cell wall and their possible rôle in the hormonal regulation of growth. Planta 146, 343–351 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00387807

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00387807

Key words

Search

Navigation