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Polysaccharides of Cell Wall of Wheat Roots under Extreme Growth Conditions

V. M. Pakhomova,1,2,3 F. D. Samuilov,2 and A. N. Tsentsevitsky4

1Botanical Garden, Kazan State University, ul. Kremlevskaya 18, Kazan, 420008 Russia; fax: (8432) 38-08-43.

2Kazan State Agricultural Academy, ul. K. Marksa 65, Kazan, 420015 Russia.

3To whom correspondence should be addressed.

4Kazan Institute of Biology, Kazan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 30, Kazan, 420503 Russia.

Submitted November 25, 1996; revision submitted January 6, 1997.

Incorporation of radioactivity from 14CO2 into various fractions and polysaccharides of the cell wall of wheat germ roots was analyzed after 40-min photosynthesis and subsequent 24-h growth. Radioactivity of cell wall polysaccharides was decreased by 50-70% during 10-day adaptation of isolated roots under extreme growth conditions. Pectines and alkali-soluble hemicelluloses of the cell wall can be used as reserved sources of endogenous nutrition of root cells during chronic starvation. Insignificant decrease in radioactivity of structural polysaccharides after 14-day incubation of isolated roots can be an indicator of cellular degradation (according to membrane potential).

KEY WORDS: Triticum vulgare muticum L., isolated root, extreme condition, cell wall, radioactivity, polysaccharides.