Mode of inheritance of aspartate aminotransferase in silver-fir (Abies alba mill.)

Abstract

In European silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) the enzyme system of aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) was supposed to be encoded by three gene loci. After applying improved extraction and electrophoretic separation procedures we succeeded in resolving four different AAT activity zones in zymograms which were found to be encoded by four loci. Whereas the two most anodal isozymes (AAT-A and AAT-B) and the most cathodal isozyme (now AAT-D) were already well-known, an intermediate AAT activity zone (now AAT-C) became for the first time visible following electrophoretic separation of seed tissue (megagametophyte) extracts. Possible associations of these four isozymes with different subcellular compartments were discussed.