Changes during epicotyl growth of an autolysis-related β-galactosidase from the cell wall of Cicer arietinum

Abstract

During the growth of Cicer arietinum epicotyls an increase in specific cell wall beta-glucosidase and beta-galactosidase activities were observed. In contrast, the amount of cell wall proteins extracted with 3 M LiCI decreased between the third and the fourth day of germination, remaining constant up to the seventh day. Partial purification of the cell wall protein extracts from different days by SP­-Sephadex chromatography showed that one fraction increased both in the amount of protein and beta-galactosidase activity throughout the growth of epicotyls. This protein fraction, which is the third beta-galactosidase (betaIII) eluted from a SP-Sephadex chromatography, has been previously characterized by us as the main enzyme involved in the autolytic process.