Effect of sucrose starvation on sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) cell carbohydrate and Pi status

The mobilization of stored carbohydrates during sucrose starvation was studied with sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) cells. When sucrose was omitted from the nutrient medium, the intracellular sucrose pool decreased rapidly during the first hours of the experiment, whereas the starch content remained practically unchanged. After 10h of sucrose starvation, starch hydrolysis replaced sucrose breakdown. From this moment, the phosphate-ester pool and respiration rate decreased with time. Conversely, the intracellular Pi concentration increased. 31P n.m.r. of intact sycamore cells indicated that, under these conditions, most of the Pi accumulated in the vacuole. These results strongly suggest that starch breakdown, in contrast with sucrose hydrolysis, is not rapid enough to maintain a high cellular metabolism.