Comparison of the ß-Glycosidases from Cicer arietinum L. Cell Cultures and Whole Seedlings

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Abstract
Cell Cultures initiated from the stem and roots of chick pea (Cicer arietinum L.) seedlings consistently developed a ß-glycosidase pattern which was totally different from that of either plant organ. After approximately one year of cultivation in suspension an invariable ß-glycosidase pattern was achieved by the cell cultures; this pattern was identical to that of an already eight years old culture. The isoflavone 7-glucoside specific ß-lucosidase, which is present in large amounts in the differentiated plant organs, is only a minor component in the cell cultures. The isoflavone 7-apiosylglucoside specific ß-glycosidase, which is present in stem and leaves of chick pea, is entirely absent from the cultures. On the other hand, several other ß-glycosidases are accumulated in the cell cultures in large amounts, whereas they are only detected with great difficulty in whole plants. The physiological roles of most of these ß-glycosidases are as yet unknown. However, one of these was demonstrated to possess specificity for coniferin, which suggests its involvement in lignification. The isoenzyme pattern of the isoflavone 7-glucoside specific ß-glucosidase of chick pea cell cultures is quantitatively different from that of leaves, stem and roots.