Genetic Studies of Variant Enzymes. III. Comparative Electrophoretic Studies of Esterases and Peroxidases for Species, Hybrids, and Amphiploids in the Genus Nicotiana

Abstract

Crude leaf extracts from collections representing 31 species of Nicotiana were used to obtain zymograms for esterase and peroxidase activity by starch-gel electrophoresis. Except for two species whose zymograms were identical, the species of Nicotiana could be distinguished by comparing both esterase and peroxidase zymograms. Electrophoretic variants for esterase and peroxidase activity were found in the collections of diploid species, but not for tetraploid species. The inheritance of electrophoretic variants of esterases and peroxidases in one species was determined. The esterase and peroxidase zymograms for three interspecific hybrids had either all the sites, "new" sites, or lacked sites present in the parental species. The esterase and peroxidase zymograms for six synthesized amphiploids gave all the sites, or "new" sites, or lacked sites found in the parental species. The peroxidase and esterase zymograms for three tetraploid species and each of the corresponding putative parental diploid species indicated that the pertinent diploid species may have been involved in the origin of each tetraploid species.