The present study describes the effect of Concanavalin A (Con A, 200 /rg/ml) on phospholipid turnover and on the biosynthesis of pectic polysaccharides in germinating pollen of Lilium longiflorum. Both phenomena are directly involved in pollen tube growth. The turnover rate of phospholipids was reduced with about 50% by the presence of Con A during the first 4 hours of germination. When Con A was added after 4 hours of incubation in the absence of lectin, a sudden shift of tritium label was observed from phospholipids to 1,2-diacylglycerol. This shift is probably due to inhibition of phospholipid synthesis during the turnover process, while degradation continues. The biosynthesis of pectic polysacharides was also inhibited with about 50% upon addition of Con A either at the onset of germination or to actively growing pollen tubes which were preincubated for 4 hours in the absence of lectin.

Acta botanica neerlandica

CC BY 3.0 NL ("Naamsvermelding")

Koninklijke Nederlandse Botanische Vereniging

J.P.F.G. Helsper, & E.S. Pierson. (1986). The effect of lectins on germinating pollen of Lilium longiflorum. II. Effect of Concanavalin a on phospholipid turnover and on biosynthesis of pectic polysaccharides. Acta botanica neerlandica, 35(3), 257–263.