Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Phloem unloading in tomato fruit

Conference · · Plant Physiol., Suppl.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5121578

To begin to identify those processes that contribute to the regulation of photosynthate partitioning in tomato fruit the path of phloem unloading in this tissue has been characterized. Assymetrically labelled sucrose (/sup 3/H-fructosyl sucrose) was applied to source leaves. Following translocation to the fruit the apoplast was sampled. The appearance of assymetric sucrose and /sup 3/H-fructose in the apoplast indicates that phloem unloading is apoplastic and that extracellular invertase is active. Estimation of sucrose, glucose, and fructose concentrations in the apoplast were 1 mM, 40 mM, and 40 mM, respectively. Rates of uptake of sucrose, 1-fluorosucrose, glucose, and fructose across the plasma membrane were similar and non-saturating at physiological concentrations. These results suggest that, although extracellular invertase is present, sucrose hydrolysis is not required for uptake into tomato fruit pericarp cells. 1-fluorosucrose is used to investigate the role of sucrose synthase in hydrolysis of imported photosynthate.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Davis
OSTI ID:
5121578
Journal Information:
Plant Physiol., Suppl.; (United States), Journal Name: Plant Physiol., Suppl.; (United States) Vol. 80:4; ISSN PPYSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English