D. Qujaq, S.e. Mousavi,
Volume 6, Issue 1 (4-2002)
Abstract
The objective of this investigation is to measure pectinesterase activity by a simple method. The assay is done at 25°C. Oranges were obtained at a local supermarket in winter. They were peeled and 5 gr sections of the peeled tissue were homogenized in 10% NaCl and 0.5 M phosphate buffer in a homogenizer. The homogenates were centrifuged at 3500 rpm for 20 min. The supernatants were collected, their pH levels were raised to 7.25 using NaOH and the reaction was monitored at 485 nm in a spectrophotometer. The activity of pectinesterase was expressed as micromoles of methanol released per minute.
The results show that this method is reliable, sensitive, and capable of measuring pectinesterase activity of as low as 0.05 unit. The assay method proposed is a very useful analytical tool for the determination of the activities of pectinesterase.
A. Alami, M. Taeb, A. Lotfi, Y. Sadeghian Motahar,
Volume 7, Issue 1 (4-2003)
Abstract
Thirty genotypes of pistachio cultivars and related species were evaluated for genetic diversity using three polymorphic isozymes, i.e. Esterase, Peroxidase and Malate dehydrogenase. Young leaves of pistachio were crushed with extraction buffer containing: 20% sucrose, 0.01 M dithiothretiol, 2% polyethylene glycol, and 8% polyvenyl polypyrollidone. Samples were analyzed using isoelectric focussing on polyacrylamide gels containing 2% (W/V) ampholyte. All the three isozymes revealed high degrees of polymorphism in pistachio cultivars and related species. Maximum polymorphism was observed for Est. enzyme. A total of 19 bands in Est. and 28 bands in MDH were observed in a wide range of pH gradient however, in Per. there were 11 bands all of which located in a narrow range of pH gradient. Cluster analysis based on the three system enzymes revealed that all the 30 pistachio genotypes were in 8 main classes and 20 subclasses and the extent of genetic similarity reduced from cultivated varieties to species, which were finally classified in 3 groups. Sarakhs variety, a wild type of P. vera, was classified in a group between cultivated varieties and species.
