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Effects of N-carboxymethylchitosan on N-metabolic key enzymes of grains and storage protein contents of seeds in maize

Shi Suyun, Xue Qihan, Liu Aimin, Lian Xingming, Wang Xuecheng

Institute of Agrobiological Genetics and Physiology,Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences.Nanjing 210014,Jiangsu；China

Abstract

The effects of N-carboxymethylchitosan on some of the important enzymes in nitrogen metabolism were studied by treating the ears of maize (Zea mays L.) with it at flowering stage. The activities of glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and proteolytic enzyme were determined at different time after the treatment, and the contents of soluble protein, storage protein and components of storage proteins were also examined after harvest. It was found that activities of GS, GDH, and GPT in developing maize grains were increased remarkably by NCMC, which was also confirmed by in vitro enzyme reaction experiments, whereas proteolytic enzyme activities were decreased. Meanwhile, it was found that the contents of soluble protein in developing grains and storage protein in mature seeds were also increased remarkably. These results indicated that N-carboxymethylchitosan has a significant physiological regulatory action on N-metabolism and protein biosynthesis and accumulation in maize.

Key words: N-carboxymethylchitosan;N-metabolic key enzymes;Storage protein;Maize

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Citing This Article：

Shi Suyun, Xue Qihan, Liu Aimin, Lian Xingming, Wang Xuecheng. Effects of N-carboxymethylchitosan on N-metabolic key enzymes of grains and storage protein contents of seeds in maize. Acta Physiol Sin 1999; 51 (2): (in Chinese with English abstract).