TITLE:
Inter-Conversion of Carbohydrate Reserves from Pollen Maturation to Rehydration in a Chili Pepper
AUTHORS:
Carolina Carrizo García, Massimo Guarnieri, Ettore Pacini
KEYWORDS:
Pollen Advanced Development; Soluble Carbohydrates; Sucrolytic Enzymes; Amylolytic Enzymes
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.4 No.6,
June
10,
2013
ABSTRACT:
Carbohydrate
metabolism is critical for male fertility. Carbohydrate reserves (soluble
sugars and starch) were quantified in three advanced stages of pollen
development, from the final maturation to rehydration, in a chili pepper
cultivar (Capsicum annuum L.
cv. Calypso Red) with partially dehydrated pollen, to define possible
carbohydrate inter-conversions. At the same time, the activity of soluble enzymes
involved in sucrolysis and amylolysis were quantified to reveal
potential metabolic pathways. The carbohydrates found (sucrose, glucose,
fructose, and starch) apparently inter-convert. There would be a close relation
between enzymatic activities and substrates, and the carbohydrate reserves
could be key factors on the regulation of enzymatic activities. All the enzymes
tested were active, although the relevance of each one changed along pollen
maturation and rehydration, defining different profiles of enzymatic activities for each stage. Some
usually neglected enzymes (e.g. soluble neutral invertase) have shown an important
role in the stages analyzed, suggesting alternative processes to evaluate in
the studies of male fertility control.