Gibberellic acid stimulates lipid metabolism in barley aleurone protoplasts

Abstract Changes in the lipid composition of barley aleurone protoplasts following incubation in the presence or absence of gibberellic acid (GA) were studied and correlated with cell development. Analysis of neutral lipids in protoplast extracts and purified lipid bodies provide evidence for the strong effect of GA on the mobilization of storage lipids. In vivo protoplast staining with the membrane marker N -phenyl-l-naphthylamine (NPN) and phospholipid determinations of protoplast extracts show an increase in membrane lipids during protoplast incubation. GA stimulates phospholipid metabolism by increasing the synthesis of phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl choline, the major phosp…