Glycolysis in CAM Plants

Abstract

Enzymes involved in the movement of carbon from glucan to malic acid in the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant, Kalanchoe daigremontiana were assayed. The kinetic characteristics determined for the enzymes from this plant were similar to those already known for the same enzymes from non-CAM tissue. °-Amylase activity could not be demonstrated in the CAM leaf and glucokinase activity was low. These results, together with a high level of phosphorylase, suggested that the latter enzyme was involved in trasfer of glucan breakdown products to glycolysis. The activity of pyruvate kinase was only 1.7% of the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase, suggesting that pyruvate production from PEP at night posed little drain on PEP supply for malic acid synthesis. Starch losses and glycolytic enzyme activities of non-CAM plants were sufficient to allow dark acidification comparable to that of CAM plants.