Guaiacol Peroxidases in Carrot (Daucus carota L.) Root
Hrvoje Lepeduš1*, Vera Cesar1 and Marijana Krsnik-Rasol2
1Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, University of J. J. Strossmayer, L. Jägera 9, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia
2Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Article history:
Received: October 14, 2003
Accepted: February 16, 2004
Key words:
Daucus carota, guaiacol peroxidases, root
Summary:
Carrot (Daucus carota L.) belongs to the group of common edible vegetables. The aim of the present study was to establish the distribution of guaiacol peroxidases in carrot root sections as well as to determine the enzymatic activity and the electrophoretic pattern of isoperoxidases in tissue extracts of particular root regions: central cylinder, inner cortex and epidermis, including the peripheral region of the cortex. This is a preliminary study for further investigations of stress influence on the expression of peroxidases in carrot root. In the central cylinder and inner cortex region peroxidase activity was localised in tracheary elements. The most intensive enzyme-linked colouration was noticed in the epidermal region of the cortex. The lowest activity was measured in the extracts of primary xylem area, while the area containing inner cortex, secondary xylem and phloem had an almost double activity. The highest activity was measured in the epidermal region. Electrophoretic analysis of anionic peroxidases revealed one isoenzyme in the central cylinder, and two other isoenzymes in the epidermal region.
*Corresponding author: 
hlepedus@yahoo.com
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