Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lysosomes of root tip cells in corn seedlings

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Nine acid hydrolases are present in lysosomes which are found in the mitochondrial fraction of a cell-free extract prepared from root tips of corn seedlings.

Light and heavy lysosomes can be distinguished. The latter are sedimentable in a sucrose-medium, the former only in sorbitol-medium. The fraction of heavy lysosomes is in turn composed of at least three populations of lysosomes differing in density and enzyme content.

Light lysosomes are membrane-bound particles with diameters from 0.3 to 1.5 μ. Electron micrographs of frozen-etched tissue and isolated particles provide evidence that light lysosomes are identical with small vacuoles. This type of lysosome is characterized by presence of transaminases in addition to that of hydrolases. Heavy lysosomes are small spheres (diameters from 0.1–0.3 μ) with membranes resembling those of vacuoles and of the endoplasmic reticulum. These lysosomes are characterized by high specific activities of two oxydoreductases known to occur also in the membranes of the reticulum.

The different types of particles are thought to represent stages of the development of the lysosomal apparatus; according to this hypothesis the large vacuole of parenchymatous cells represents the end product of this process.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Avers, C. J., and E. E. King: Histochemical evidence of intracellular enzymatic heterogeneity of plant mitochondria. Amer. J. Bot. 47, 220–225 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton, K.: A study of the conditions and mechanism of the diphenylamine reaction for the colorimetric estimation of deoxyribonucleic acid. Biochem. J. 62, 315–323 (1956).

    Google Scholar 

  • Duve, Ch. de, and R. Wattiaux: Functions of lysosomes. Ann. Rev. Physiol. 28, 435–492 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ernster, L., P. Siekevitz, and G. E. Palade: Enzyme-structure relationships in the endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver. J. Cell Biol. 15, 541–562 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiske, C. H., and Y. Subbarow: The colorimetric determination of phosphorus. J. biol. Chem. 66, 375–400 (1925).

    Google Scholar 

  • Frey-Wyssling, A.: Vergleichende Organellographie. Experientia (Basel) 21, 681–687 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, E. Grieshaber, and K. Mühlethaler: Origin of spherosomes in plant cells. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 8, 506–516 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gahan, D. B.: Histochemical evidence for the presence of lysosome-like particles in root meristem cells of Vicia faba. J. exp. Bot. 16, 350–355 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilliermond, A., G. Mangenot et L. Plantefol: Traité de cytologie végétale. Paris: Le François 1933.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, W. A.: The cytochemical localization of acid phosphatase in root tip cells. Amer. J. Bot. 43, 50–54 (1956).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry, O.H., N. J. Rosebrough, A. L. Farr, and R. J. Randall: Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. biol. Chem. 193, 265–275 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  • Matile, Ph.: Enzyme der Vakuolen aus Wurzelzellen von Maiskeimlingen. Ein Beitrag zur funktionellen Bedeutung der Vakuole bei der intrazellulären Verdauung. Z. Naturforsch. 21b, 871–878 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, J. P. Balz, E. Semadeni, and M. Jost: Isolation of spherosomes with lysosome characteristics from seedlings. Z. Naturforsch. 20b, 693–698 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, and A. Wiemken: The vacuole as the lysosome of the yeast cell. Arch. Mikrobiol. 56, 148–155 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Moor, H.: Die Gefrier-Fixation lebender Zellen und ihre Anwendung in der Elektronenmikroskopie. Z. Zellforsch. 62, 546–580 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, N.: A photometric adaptation of the Somogyi method for the determination of glucose. J. biol. Chem. 153, 375–380 (1944).

    Google Scholar 

  • Poux, N.: Localisation de la phosphatase acide dans les cellules meristematiques de blé (Triticum vulgare Vill.) J. Microscopie 2, 485–489 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • Semadeni, E. G.: Enzymatische Charakterisierung der Lysosomenäquivalente (Sphärosomen) von Maiskeimlingen. Planta (Berl.) 72, 91–118 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sumner, J. B., and S. F. Howell: A method for the determination of saccharase activity. J. biol. Chem. 108, 51–54 (1935).

    Google Scholar 

  • Zöllner, N., u. K. Kirsch: Über die quantitative Bestimmung von Lipiden mittels der vielen natürlichen gemeinsamen Sulfo-phospho-vanilin-Reaktion. Z. ges. exp. Med. 135, 545–561 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuber, H.: Purification and properties of a new carboxypeptidase from citrus fruit. Nature (Lond.) 201, 613 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Botany, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich

    Philippe Matile

  2. Institut für allgemeine Botanik, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, Universitätsstraße 2, CH 8006, Zürich, Schweiz

    Philippe Matile

Authors
  1. Philippe Matile
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Matile, P. Lysosomes of root tip cells in corn seedlings. Planta 79, 181–196 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00396026

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00396026

Keywords

Search

Navigation