Changes in mitochondrial activity during enlargement of mung bean root cells

A mitochondrial fraction was separately prepared from two differentregions of mung bean roots; from root-tips which contained mainlyimmature cells and from tissue, other than the root-tips, whichwas composed of mature and fully vacuolated cells. The malatedehydrogenase, fumarase and aconitase activities per cell didnot increase or did so only slightly during cell growth. Respiratoryactivity of both tissue sections and the crude mitochondrialfraction also seemed to increase slightly as cells matured.However, the cytochrome oxidase and succinate cytochrome c reductaseactivities per cell increased significantly during cell enlargement.There was no difference in the distribution-profiles of thecytochrome oxidase and malate dehydrogenase activities aftersucrose density gradient centrifugation, between mitochondrialfractions prepared from two regions of the. roots. The malatedehydrogenase activity per unit of cytochrome oxidase activityin purified mitochondria of immature cells was much higher thanthat of mature cells. The results suggest that enzymes in mitochondrialmatrix are mainly synthesized in immature cells or during celldivision. In contrast, enzymes in the cristae seem to be formedduring cell maturation, as well as being formed in immaturecells. (Received January 26, 1973; )