Isoflavone And Pterocarpan Malonylglucosides And ß - L,3 - Glucan - And Chitin-Hydrolases Are Vacuolar Constituents In Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum L.)

Abstract

Cell suspension cultures of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) were used to prepare protoplasts and vacuoles. The vacuolar preparation revealed only slight contaminations of cytoplasmic marker enzymes. HPLC analysis of the vacuolar extract showed that the malonylglucosides of isoflavones, isoflavanones and pterocarpans are exclusively located in the vacuole. Experiments designed to determine the subcellular localization of the isoflavone malonylglucoside: malonylesterase suggest an association of this enzyme with the vacuolar membrane. Finally, a β-l,3-glucanase and a chitinase with basic isoelectric points were also found to be localized in the chickpea vacuoles