Decrease in Ribonuclease Activity in Embryonic Axes Isolated from Chickpea (Cicer arietinumL.) Induced by Abscisic Acid

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Abstract
Merlo, E. and Matilla, A. 1985. Decrease in ribonuclease activity in embryonic axes isolated from chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) induced by abscisic acid.—J. exp. Bot. 36: 1780–1786. The effect of abscisic acid on the growth and regulation of ribonuclease activity was studied in embryonic axes isolated from chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds during the first 48 h of germination. The enzymatic activity in crude extracts increased for 24 h and then remained constant up to 48 h. The extent of the increase was decreased by exogenous abscisic acid. The effects of cycloheximide, α-amanitine and 5-fluoro-uracyl both in the presence and absence of abscisic acid suggest that activation of translation and transcription are requisites for the increase in ribonuclease activity. Further results obtained in the presence of thiourea, which accelerates water uptake, and polyethyleneglycol, which decreases it, indicates that the water content, controlled by abscisic acid, regulates ribonuclease activity but regulation of gene expression also appears to be involved.