| Abstract: | The ultrastructural localization of adenosine tripkosphatase (ATPase) activity in cotyledon cells of tomato was carried out by use of the cytochemical method of lead phosphate precipitation, and the changes in ATPase activity during chilling stress of the tomato seedlings were studied. The following experimental results have been obtained: 1. The ATPase activity in the cotyledon cells of tomato seedlings germinated and grown at 28 ℃. was located at plasmolemma, plasmodesmata, nucleoli and nuclear chromatin chloroplast lamellae, many sites of cell wall, and the surface of cell wall bordering the intercellular spaces and their inclusions. 2. When the tomato seedlings were subjected to chilling treatment for 4 h. at 5 ℃., the ATPase activity in cotyledon cells was indifferent from that of non-chilling treated seedlings. After chilling treatment for 12 h. at 5 ℃., the reaction of ATPase activity at plasmolemma, and in cell wall and intercellular spaces was markedly reduced. though the high activity reaction of ATPase in nuclei and at chloroplast lamellae was still maintained. When the tomato seedlings were subjected to chilling stress for 24 h. at 5℃., the ATPase activity at plasmolemma and in cell wall was almost inactivated, while the ATPase activity in nuclei and at chloroplast lamellae was only slightly lowered. These results indicated that the chilling injury may influence firstly on the ATPase activity of cell surface (plasmolemma and cell wall). 3. The role of intercellular spaces used as the passage of materials and the process and mechanism of chilling injury are discussed. |
