Activity of the Pentose Phosphate Pathway and Changes in Nicotinamide Nucleotide Content during Germination of Seeds ofCicer arietinumL.

Abstract

Changes in the level of nicotinamide nucleotides, rate of ¹⁴CO₂ output from [1⁻¹⁴C] or [6¹⁴ C₆/C₁ ratios, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and NAD kinase activities were determined during the first 72 h of germination of seeds of Cicer arietinum L. The level of oxidized and reduced forms of nicotinamide nucleotides, together with the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, NAD kinase, and C₆/C₁ ratios, suggest that the pentose phosphate pathway is activated during early germination in cotyledons of chick pea seeds. The results obtained in embryonic axes seems to indicate a lower participation of the PP pathway, probably due to the development of the activity of the glycolytic-TCA pathway.