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Articles

High Levels of Malic Enzyme Activities in Vicia faba L. Epidermal Tissue ¹

Plant Biology Program, Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130

Specific activities of NADP-malic enzyme, NAD-malic enzyme, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase in various cells of Vicia faba L. leaflets were determined. Expressed on dry weight, chlorophyll or protein basis, the averages for NADP- and NAD-malic enzyme specific activities were higher in guard cells than in photosynthetic parenchyma cells. Malic enzyme-specific activities were also high in epidermal cells. Phosphoenolypyruvate carboxykinase activity was not detected in Vicia leaf extracts or guard cells; the assay techniques were validated by mixed Vicia-Brachiaria leaf extraction and assays on nanogram samples of Brachiaria bundlesheath cells. It was inferred from these data that guard cell malate depletion is by decarboxylation to pyruvate in the epidermal layer, but how the various epidermal cells interact remains obscure.

Pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase activity could not be demonstrated unequivocally in Vicia leaf extracts, Vicia guard cell protoplast extracts, or in Vicia guard cells. The assay techniques were validated by mixed Vicia-Kochia leaf extraction and assays on nanogram samples of Kochia mesophyll cells. How (or if) pyruvate is phosphorylated by epidermal tissue for entry into gluconeogenesis is unknown.

³ Present address: Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO 63166.

¹ Supported by a National Science Foundation grant to W. H. O.

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