Influence of Gibberellic Acid on α-D-Galactosidase Activity in the Grape Berry

  • Kang, Han-Chul (Department of Plant Nutrition, National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Rural Development Administration) ;
  • Lee, Seon-Hwa (Department of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Rural Development Administration) ;
  • Kim, Jong-Bum (Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Rural Development Administration)
  • Received : 2001.04.24
  • Published : 2001.06.30

Abstract

Glycosidase activities in the grape flesh (Marguerite) were assayed, and the order of activity was marked as follows: ${\alpha}$-D-galactosidase>${\alpha}$-D-mannosidase>${\alpha}$-D-glucosidase>${\beta}$-D-galactosidase>${\beta}$-D-glucosidase. Of these glycosidases, ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-D-galactosidases were prominently expressed by the treatment of gibberellic acid, resulting in 56 and 238% increase of activity, respectively. Most of ${\alpha}$-D-galactosidase was found in the flesh texture, and the activity increase by gibberellic acid occurred mostly in this tissue. The increase in ${\alpha}$-D-galactosidase activity was dependent on the concentration of gibberellic acid treated, showing a positive correlation. Gibberellic acid affected the content of total protein in the grape flesh, 49% increase by 75 ppm treatment. Above this concentration, higher gibberellic acid level did not influence the protein expression. Specific activity of the ${\alpha}$-D-galactosidase still increased, showing 24% increase in activity. Grape flesh subjected by gibberellic acid (100 ppm) resulted in the increased activity against a natural substrate, stachyose, showing 55% increase in activity from the grapes treated with 100 ppm of gibberellic acid. Other natural substrates, such as melibiose and raffinose, were also considerably hydrolyzed, and the extent was similar to that of stachyose hydrolysis. During postharvest storage, ${\alpha}$-D-galactosidase activity in the grape flesh increased by 51% after 20 days and then declined slowly.

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