A study on a cell wall-bound factor which causes the gelation of pectin solution

By extracting the cell wall fraction obtained from hypocotyls of soybean seedlings with 1 M NaCl solution, a factor which caused the gelation of the pectin solution was released. Mixed with the extract, the pectin solution increased in viscosity and eventually solidified. The pectin-gelatinizing factor (PGF) was of protein nature and seemed to modify pectin molecules to make them coagulate. The physiological significance of the PGF action was discussed. PGF seemed to be widely distributed among seed plants and to be cell wall-boundin situ.