Studies on maize beta glucosidase gene-enzyme system

Maize ß-glucosidase is implicated in phytohormone catabolism, disease resistance mechanisms, and also the catabolism of various ß-D-glucosides. The enzyme expressed in maize sporophytes is encoded by a highly polymorphic locus, Glul (chromosome 10). In the present study, maize ß-glucosidase was purified to homogeneity by using differential solubility and chromatography. The enzyme is soluble and synthesized adaptively after germination. The isoelectric point (pl) of the native enzyme is 4.9-5.0 and its temperature and pH optima are 40°C and 6.8, respectively. The active enzyme is temperature·sensitive and composed of two identical, non-covalently associated and catalytically inactive polypeptides (60 kD each). Enzyme catalysis shows dominant aryl ß-glucosidase and ß-fucosidase activities compared to cellobiase activity. Activity is (1) influenced by the configuration of the C-4 and C-6 atoms on the glycone moeity and by the substrate chain length, (2) possibly mediated by an imidazole ring and a terminal α-amino group in the enzyme catalytic and binding sites, respectively, (3) dependent on intra-chain disulfide bonds to maintain the enzyme conformation, and (4) inhibited competitively by the end product, glucose. The sporophytic specificity of Glul expression might be controlled by tightly linked cis- and trans- acting regulatory elements. One of the several null mutations, with an apparent allelism to Glul locus, (l) complements in trans when combined with normal Glul alleles, and (2) probably affects a shift in the tissue-specific expression of Glul locus (from sporophytic to gametophytic). Another structural gene, GIu3, encoding a soluble, sporophyte-specific, and electrophoretically-invariant ß-glucosidase isoenzyme is present based on hydrodynamic properties, size, surface net charge, peptide map, quaternary structure, and enzyme kinetics.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Genetics

Department dc:contributor.department

Genetics

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1988

Author dc:creator

• Rifaat, Mahmoud M.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Esen, Asim

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Bates, Robert C.
• Falkinham, Joseph O. III
• Johnson, John L.
• Wallace, Bruce

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/53601

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/53601