Indole-3-acetic Acid Oxidase from Peas: I. Occurrence and Distribution of Peroxidative and Nonperoxidative Forms

Tissues of etiolated pea seedlings variety Alaska were examined for the presence of peroxidative and nonperoxidative forms of indoleacetic acid (IAA) oxidase. Enzymes were extracted in a sequence involving acetone powder preparation from pea tissues, buffer extraction of the powder, ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, lyophilization, and acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Electrophoretically separable proteins were assayed for IAA oxidase activity with the Salkowski test, and peroxidase activity was based on the color reaction with benzidine and H₂O₂. Each tissue examined contained several nonperoxidative IAA oxidases. No tissue contained more than three peroxidative IAA oxidases, whereas the plumule hooks (a tissue with a high IAA oxidase activity) contained no detectable peroxidases. The results indicate that nonperoxidative IAA oxidases might play a major role in the regulation of IAA content in pea seedlings.