Abstract
Symptoms typical of senescence occurred in green detached primary barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves placed in darkness and in light. Chlorophyll, total soluble protein, ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase protein and activity each progressively decreased in darkness and to a lesser extent in light. In all treatments most of the total soluble protein lost was accounted for by a decrease in ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase protein, suggesting that the chloroplast was a major site of degradation early in senescence.Loss of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase protein was negatively correlated with an increase in proteolytic activity measured against azocasein. Both rates were exponential, with about a 30% difference in apparent rate constants. Cycloheximide essentially prevented the loss of chlorophyll, ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase protein, and activity and completely inhibited the increase in proteolytic activity against azocasein. Since chloramphenicol had little effect on the loss of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase protein or chlorophyll, or on proteolytic activity against azocasein, it is suggested that the proteolytic activity was developed on cytoplasmic 80 S ribosomes.Kinetin greatly retarded the onset of such symptoms of senescence by inhibiting the losses of chlorophyll and ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase protein and protected against inactivation of enzymic activity. It also prevented the increase in proteolytic activity measured against azocasein. Incorporation of labeled amino acids into ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase during its rapid degradation showed that the enzyme was under turnover. The changes in ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase protein and activity, chlorophyll, soluble protein other than ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase, proteolytic and esterolytic activity during senescence indicate that senescence is a selective, sequential process.