Evidence for nonrandom multiplicity of gene products in 22 plant genera

Correlations in the number (multiplicity) of molecular forms among 10 enzymes have been estimated from a sample of plants representing 22 genera. Significant correlations in multiplicity among some of the 10 enzyme systems suggest a nonrandom organization of variation in number of molecular forms. An analysis of the correlations among enzymes of a glycolytic and Krebs cycle subset supports the occurrence of patterns of influence on multiplicity which correspond to the known metabolic relatedness of the enzymes. We interpret these data as evidence for organization of enzyme multiplicity. This property may be of adaptive value to the species.This research was supported by U.S.A.E.C. Contract AT(11-1)-1552, U.S.P.H.S. Grant AM 09381 and Rackham Faculty Award NSF-GU-3470-Project 131, and U.S.P.H.S. Career Development Award 1-K3-AM7959 (GJB).