Cereal Chem. 70:127-132   |  VIEW ARTICLE

Induction and Secretion of Alpha-Amylase, (1-3),(1-4)-beta-Glucanase, and (1-3)-beta-Glucanase Activities in Gibberellic Acid and CaCl[2]-Treated Half Seeds and Aleurones of Wheat.

A.-M. Bernier and G. M. Ballance. Copyright 1993 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Three germination-specific enzymes, alpha-amylase, (1-3),(1-4)-beta-glucanase, and (1-3)-beta-glucanase, were examined in whole germinating wheat (Triticum aestivum) as well as in distal half seeds and isolated aleurones. In the latter, modified seed systems, production, and secretion were examined for response to induction by CaCl[2], gibberellic acid (GA[3]), and GA[3] plus CaCl[2] and compared with the normal whole seed production. GA[3] stimulated production of alpha-amylase and (1-3),(1-4)-beta-glucanase activities differentially, and CaCl[2] modified this effect. (1-3)-beta-Glucanase activity was induced in distal half seeds by imbibition alone, and the various treatments had only a minor effect on accumulated activity. Treatment with GA[3] or CaCl[2], however, did promote the secretion of this activity. Furthermore, separating aleurone tissue from the endosperm significantly increased the amount of (1-3)- beta-glucanase activity in aleurone tissues.