Pc. Josekutty, INHIBITION OF PLANT-GROWTH BY MEVINOLIN AND REVERSAL OF THIS INHIBITION BY ISOPRENOIDS, South African journal of botany, 64(1), 1998, pp. 18-24
Mevinolin completely inhibited the growth of seedlings and cell cultur
es of Solanum xanthocarpum Schrader & Wendl. (S. surattense Burm.f.) a
t 100 mu M and 50 mu M concentrations respectively. Exogenously suppli
ed acetate could not negate the inhibition but mevalonate, squalene an
d cholesterol could bring about revesal of inhibition when supplied ex
ogenously. Analysis of the steroidal contents of mevinolin treated tis
sues showed reduction of free sterols to less than 50% of the control.
Mevinolin at 5.0 mu M concentration severely inhibited (40%) 3-hydrox
y 3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGR) in vitro. However, mevinolin a
t lower concentrations could not bring about significant influence an
the pigment levels. The present study concludes that mevinolin inhibit
s growth of plants by inhibiting isoprenoid synthesis, mainly the ster
oid metabolism by inhibiting the 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl CoA reduct
ase, the gateway enzyme of isoprenoid pathway.