Activation and Inactivation of Alcohol Dehydrogenase in Germinating Pea Cotyledons

Alcohol dehydrogenase (E.C.1.1.1.1.) activity increases markedly in the germinating pea cotyledon in the first 2 days. The activity was not suppressed by the administration of actinomycin D, 6‐methylpurine, DL‐p‐fluorophenylalanine, and D‐chloramphenicol. The compounds rather depressed the decrease of alcohol dehydrogenase activity in cotyledons after 3 days of germination. The alcohol dehydrogenase activity in ungerminated pea seeds was activated by treatment with sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, dithiothreitol, 2‐mercaptoethanol and NADH. The inhibitory effect caused by the extract from 7 day‐old cotyledons was diminished markedly in the presence of dithiothreitol and 2‐mercaptoethanol, as well as by addition of bovine serum albumin. If dithiothreitol was added to the extraction medium, the enzyme activity from older cotyledons was greatly enhanced.