CHANGES IN THE ACTIVITIES OF PHOSPHOFRUCTOKINASE, AND PYROPHOSPHATE FRUCTOSE-6-PHOSPHATE PHOSPHOTRANSFERASE, AND IN THE LEVELS OF FRUCTOSE-2,6-DIPHOSPHATE, PYRUVATE AND ATP IN RESPONSE TO C2H4 IN AIR AND 3% O2

Abstract

The mechanism of C2H4 action on plant respiration is not well understood. In the present work we treated peeled sweet potato roots (Ipomea batatas cv. MD715) with 10 ppm C2H4 in air and 3% O2 Analytical data showed a close relationship between respiration and activity of phosphofructokinase while the activity of pyrophosphate fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase remained constant under all experimental treatments. At the respiratory peak there was an increase in both pyruvate and fructose-2,6-diphosphate. The change in the levels of pyruvate, followed closely that of the respiration drift, while those of fructose-2,6-diphosphate did not correlated so closely. The data indicate that the stimulation of respiration by C2H4 in sweet potato roots is closely associated with an enhancement of glycolysis. The levels of ATP also increased with the rise in respiration and reflected the magnitude of the respiratory increment.