title: Metabolism of the seed and endocarp of cherry (Prunus avium L.) during development.
abstract: In this study some aspects of organic and amino acid metabolism in cherry endocarp and seed were investigated during their development. The abundance and location of a number of enzymes involved in these processes were investigated. These enzymes were aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT; EC:2.6.1.1), glutamine synthetase (GS; EC:6.3.1.2), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC; EC:4.1.1.31), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK; EC:4.1.1.49), and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco; EC:4.1.1.39). There was a transient and massive accumulation of vegetative storage proteins in the endocarp. These proteins were remobilised as the endocarp lignified and at the same time that proteins were accumulated in the seed. This raised the possibility that a proportion of imported amino acids were temporarily stored in the endocarp as protein, and that these were later utilised by the seed when it started to accumulate storage proteins. Rubisco was present in the embryo and integuments of the seed although no chlorophyll was present. This is the first time that Rubisco has been detected in non-green seeds. The maximum abundance of Rubisco in the seed coincided with the deposition of seed storage proteins. A possible function for Rubisco in cherry seed is discussed. PEPCK was located in the integuments and appeared when seed storage proteins were being accumulated. In the integuments and embryo AspAT, GS, PEPC and Rubisco also appeared, or greatly increased in abundance, when seed storage proteins were being deposited.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy. rob.walker@talktalk.net
authors: Robert P
authors: RP
authors: Walker
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Battistelli
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Moscatello
authors: Zhi-Hui
authors: ZH
authors: Chen
authors: Richard C
authors: RC
authors: Leegood
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Famiani
mesh_terms: D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / Q000378:metabolism; D008293:Malates / Q000378:metabolism; D019764:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (ATP) / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D027861:Prunus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012273:Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D055314:Seed Storage Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008293:Malates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D055314:Seed Storage Proteins; D002734:Chlorophyll; C030298:malic acid; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D012273:Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase; D019764:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (ATP); D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase