Abstract

Carrot cell cultures provide a model experimental system for the analysis of biochemical and molecular events associated with morphogenesis in plants (3, 4, 5, 14). Among the biochemical changes accompanying somatic embryogenesis in this tissue is an increased biosynthesis ofpolyamines (1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 13). A variety of inhibitors of polyamine biosynthetic enzymes have been used to analyze the role of polyamines in somatic embryogenesis. A summary of our work on the effects of DFMO, DFMA, MGBG and CHAP on somatic embryogenesis, cellular polyamine levels, and activities of ADC, ODC, AdoMet decarboxylase, and AdoMet-synthetase in carrot cell cultures is reported here. Details of materials and methods and results are published elsewhere (6, 8, 9, 12, 13). The results obtained so far support our working hypothesis (7,13) that (a) ethylene is a major suppressor of embryogenesis, and its production is promoted by auxin; and (b) promotion of polyamine biosynthesis through increased utilization of S-adenosylmethionine may adversely affect ACC and ethylene syntheses, which could, in turn, promote somatic embryogenesis.

Department

Biological Sciences

Publication Date

1-1-1990

Publisher

USDA Forest Service

Document Type

Report

Comments

This is a report published by the USDA Forest Service, available online

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