Effect of Trichloroacetic Acid on Wax Composition of Normal and Mutant Maize (Zea mays L.)

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Abstract
Seedlings of normal and mutant (glossy-2, g12) maize (Zea mays L.) have been treated in vivo with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) to obtain information on the elongation-decarboxylation (ED) system(s) governing epicuticular wax synthesis. TCA reduced normal wax by 20% while the amount of g12 epicuticular lipids slightly increased. Wax components in the TCA treated plants varied significantly. Both in normal and g12 seedlings TCA caused an increase of esters at the expense of alcohols. Moreover, in both maize types, TCA stimulated the production of free acids. TCA appears to interfere with the homologue composition of the lipid classes. Significant changes were noted in the composition of all but the esters wax classes. The results are taken as evidence of the existence in maize seedlings of at least two independent elongation-decarboxylation systems governing wax biosynthesis: the first is mainly responsible for the synthesis of long chain alkanes, aldehydes and alcohols, the second controls the formation of esters.