Effect of anaerobiosis on alcohol dehydrogenase in oat seedlings

In order to clarify the induction of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) by anaerob iosis in oat (Avena sativa L.), the seedlings were exposed to anaerobiosis and activity of ADH and ADH isozyme profiles were determined. The anaerobio sis increased ADH activities in shoots and roots of the seedlings. By day 2 , the activity increased 5 and 4 times in the roots and the shoots, respect ively, compared with those under aerobic condition. Based on nondenaturing electrophoresis, ADH isozyme composition analysis revealed six bands consis ting of a dimmer enzyme with submits encoded by three different Adh genes. Changes in staining intensity of the isozymes indicated that the increase i n ADH activity in oat under anaerobiosis resulted from increased enzyme syn thesis.