Cell wall invertase activity in cultured tobacco tissues

Abstract

Changes in insoluble or cell wall invertase and soluble invertase activity were examined during callus induction from tobacco pith-phloem explants and during callus proliferation on sucrose, glucose and fructose as carbon sources, or on transfer from culture on the hexoses to sucrose. In all cases there was a growth independent transitory increase in cell wall invertase early in culture. The magnitude of the increase was greatest in the presence of sucrose. Cell wall invertase was found to possess catalytic activity in situ, whether or not the tissue was grown on sucrose. It is hypothesized that the transitory increase in cell wall invertase plays a role in sucrose hydrolysis during wound respiration, which takes place early in culture.