White light promotes the formation of diferulic acid in maize coleoptile cell walls by enhancing PAL activity

Abstract

To elucidate the mechanism by which white fluorescent light (5 W m‐2) stimulates the formation of diferulic acid (DFA) in cell walls, the effect of light on phenylalanine‐and tyrosine‐ammonia‐lyase (PAL, EC 4.3.1.5 and TAL, EC 4.3.1.5) and peroxidase activities was studied using coleoptiles of maize (Zea mays L. cv. Cross Bantam T51). Growth rate of dark‐grown coleoptiles was highest at the basal zone and decreased towards the tip, while continuous irradiation caused an inhibition of growth, especially at the basal zone. Light decreased the cell wall extensibility in all zones of the coleoptile. The amounts of DFA, ferulic acid (FA) and p‐coumaric acid (p‐CA) increased by severalfold in cell walls of light‐grown maize coleoptiles as compared with those grown in the dark. Strong correlations were observed between the increase in the contents of either DFA, FA or p‐CA and the decrease in cell wall extensibility. Light decreased the wall‐bound peroxidase activity. No correlation was found between DFA content and peroxidase activity. The activities of PAL and TAL were enhanced upon white light irradiation. The increment in either DFA, FA or p‐CA content was correlated with an increase in PAL activity, but not with that in TAL activity. White light may promote DFA formation in the cell walls of maize coleoptiles by enhancing PAL activity.