| Abstract: | The respiration of fresh potato slices was sensitive to CN-, and was not inhibited by m-CLAM in the presence or absence of CN-. By contrast, the wound-induced respiration of slices, incubated in air for 24 hours, was not only relatively resistant to CN-, but also markedly inhibited by m-CLAM in the presence or absence of CN-. When m-CLAM and CN- were added togather, the inhibitory effect was higher than that of them when used separately. The observations indicated that the alternate path is operative in aged potato slices. The data determined by the method of m-CLAM titration showed that the actual contribution of alternate path and cytochrome path in aged potato slices was approximately 28% and 54% of the total respiration respectively in the absence of CN-. When the cytochrome path was inhibited by CN-, the maximal capacity of alternate path (Valt was higher than the actual contribution of them (ρ·Valt). The increased contribution of alternate path in presence of CN- might be thought to indicate that there is a diversion of electron flux from the cytochrome path to the alternate path. When the respiratory flux of aged slices was reduced by treatment with iodoacetate and malonate, the proportions of respiration inhibited by CN- and m-CLAM respectively were not changed. |
