EFFECTS OF BAY M-1099, AN ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASE INHIBITOR, ON STARCH DEGRADATION IN GERMINATING MUNG BEANS

To examine the mechanism of starch degradation in legume cotyledons an d the physiological role of cr-glucosidase, mung bean seeds were germi nated in the presence of Bay m 1099, an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor. B ay m 1099 (10 mu g/ml medium), which minimized the growth deterioratio n of the mung bean seedlings, caused no changes in the overall rate of starch degradation and of soluble carbohydrate production in the coty ledons, although alpha-glucosidase activity had been completely suppre ssed. Total amylase and phosphorylase activities were not influenced b y Bay m 1099. These results suggest that the mung bean alpha-glucosida se is less responsible for starch degradation, unlike wheat alpha-gluc osidase [Konishi et al., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 58, 135-139 (1994) ].