title: An in vitro control mechanism for potato stress metabolite biosynthesis.
abstract: Ethylene/oxygen (E/O(2)) elevates sesquiterpenoid stress metabolite (SSM) levels in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber tissue which is reacting hypersensitively. To determine whether E/O(2) retards SSM turnover, a measured amount of rishitin was applied to tuber tissue which was then incubated in air or E/O(2), and rishitin disappearance was monitored. No difference in the rate of rishitin disappearance was detected between air and E/O(2) incubations. However, tissue treated with rishitin and incubated in E/O(2) accumulated intermediates of the katahdinone and phytuberin pathways. This was not the case in rishitin-air treatments. These results suggest the dual involvement of ethylene and SSM intermediates in the regulation of the biosynthesis of SSM, compounds which may serve as phytoalexins.
authors: Laboratory of Plant Morphogenesis, Department of Biology, Manhattan College, Bronx, New York 10471.
authors: L M
authors: LM
authors: Alves
authors: E B
authors: EB
authors: Kalan
authors: E G
authors: EG
authors: Heisler