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Genetic manipulation of 6-phosphofructokinase in potato tubers

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Abstract

The aim of this work was to discover whether genetic manipulation of 6-phosphofructokinase [EC 2.7.1.11; PFK(ATP)] influenced the rate of respiration of tuber tissue of Solanum tuberosum L. Transgenic plants were produced that contained the coding sequence of the Escherichia coli pfkA gene linked to a patatin promoter. Expression of this chimaeric gene in tubers resulted in a 14to 21-fold increase in the maximum catalytic activity of PFK(ATP) without affecting the activities of the other glycolytic enzymes. Tubers, and ‘aged’ disks of tuber tissue, from transformed plants showed no more than a 30% fall in the content of hexose 6-monophosphates; the other intermediates of glycolysis increased threeto eightfold. Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate was barely detectable in aged disks of transformed tubers. The relative rates of 14CO2 production from [1-14C]-and [6-14C]-glucose supplied to disks of transformed and control tubers were similar. Oxygen uptake and CO2 production by aged disks of transformed tubers did not differ significantly from those from control tubers. The same was true of CO2 production, in air, and in nitrogen, for tuber tissue. It is concluded that PFK(ATP) does not dominate the control of respiration in potato tubers.

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Abbreviations

Fru2,6bisP:

fructose-2,6-bisphosphate

FW:

freshweight

GUS:

β-glucuronidase

PFK(ATP):

6-phosphofructokinase

PFK(PPi):

pyrophosphate: fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Limited, 210 Cambridge Science Park, CB44WA, Cambridge, UK

    Michael M. Burrell, Peter J. Mooney, Margaret Blundy, Dawn Carter, Fiona Wilson & Keith S. Blundy

  2. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EA, Cambridge, UK

    John Green & Tom ap Rees

Authors
  1. Michael M. Burrell
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  2. Peter J. Mooney
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  3. Margaret Blundy
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  4. Dawn Carter
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  5. Fiona Wilson
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  6. John Green
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  7. Keith S. Blundy
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  8. Tom ap Rees
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Burrell, M.M., Mooney, P.J., Blundy, M. et al. Genetic manipulation of 6-phosphofructokinase in potato tubers. Planta 194, 95–101 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201039

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201039

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