A <i>β</i>-Glucosidase Activity Potentially Involved in Cell Division and Wall Development of <i>Phyllostachys</i> Bamboo Suspension Cells

Abstract

We propose a novel Madake ( Phyllostachys bambusoides ) bamboo suspension culture model for investigation of key enzyme(s) activity involved in growth/differentiation. Sedimented Cell Volume (SCV) and fresh weight (FW) of the suspension cultured cells reached 34% (v/v) and 8.7 g in 10 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-containing medium while only 7% (v/v) SCV and 1.9 g FW of the cells in 10 μM gibberellic acid (GA 3 )-containing medium in 14 days. Proportion of mitotically active cells (S to G2/M phases) at a log phase was identified as 29.5% in the former cells with tiny cytoplasmic features while 5.4% in the latter cells with elongation, wall thickening, and lignification by using flow cytometry and laser scanning microscopic analysis. The total β-glucosidase (BGL) activity under the 2,4-D condition increased from 4.8 U in day 2 to 26.2 U in day 14 (ca. 5.5-fold) while a slight reduction, from 4.4 U in day 2 to 2.1 U in day 14 (ca. 0.5-fold), occurred when cell division was suppressed under the GA3 condition. Ratio of the BGL activity of the soluble fractions to the membrane-associated fractions varied depending of the culture condition. The ratio was stable (2 to 8) during the culture period under the 2,4-D condition. Interestingly, the activity of the soluble enzyme fractions increased up to ca. 65% under the GA3 condition in inverse proportion to the membrane-associated enzymes. All together, it was strongly suggested that the detected specificity/variability of BGL activity is potentially involved in cell division and lignification in Madake bamboo cells.