A study has been made of changes in the enzymes of UDP-sugar metabolis
m in suspension cultured cells of French bean during their normal grow
th following subculture. These are compared to cells of the same cell
suspension subcultured into a cytokinin enriched media which induces c
hanges in their cell walls that resemble xylogenesis. The same enzymes
have also been measured in seedling hypocotyls undergoing elongation
growth and differentiation. Evidence was obtained for sucrose synthase
and possibly amylase for having roles in the mobilization of sugar re
serves during growth changes in suspension cultures. Furthermore, UDP-
glucose dehydrogenase showed characteristic increased activity that in
dicated a key role in the provision of sugar nucleotides for cell wall
biosynthesis. Less significant changes were observed for other enzyme
s involved in sugar nucleotide interconversion.