title: Detection of chitinolytic enzymes with different substrate specificity in tissues of intact sundew (Drosera rotundifolia L.): chitinases in sundew tissues.
abstract: The round-leaf sundew (Drosera rotundifolia L.) is a carnivorous plant expressing a wide range of chitinolytic enzymes playing role in many different processes. In this study the intact plants were analyzed for the presence of chitinase transcripts and chitinolytic activities in different organs. In situ hybridization with chitnase fragment as a probe has revealed the presence of chitinases in the mesophyll cells of leaves and vascular elements of stems of healthy, non-stressed plants. More pronounced expression was observed in cortex and stele cells of roots as well as in ovules and anthers of reproductive organs. Similarly, higher chitinase enzyme activity was typical for flowers and roots suggesting a more specific role of chitinases in these tissues. In addition to endochitinases of different substrate specificities, chitobiosidases contributed to overall chitinolytic activity of tissue extracts. The activity of chitobiosidases was again typical for flowers and roots, while their role in plant physiology remains to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Nitra 1, Slovak Republic. jana.libantova@savba.sk
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Libantová
authors.forename: Terttu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kämäräinen
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moravcíková
authors.forename: Ildikó
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matusíková
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salaj
mesh_terms: D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism; D002688:Chitinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029787:Drosera / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006923:Hymecromone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002686:Chitin; D006923:Hymecromone; D002688:Chitinases