Esterase Isozymes as Markers of Somatic Embryogenesis in Cultured Carrot Cells

Summary Two major groups of esterase isozymes were identified in extracts of carrot ( Daucus carota L. var. Royal Chantaney) cells cultured in vitro using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the slow moving group, an isozyme marked «y» was absent and another marked «x» was present in the embryogenic cell line (Ca-7) as compared to the non-embryogenic cell line (Ca-4). The pattern of a slow moving esterase was also maintained in different stages of embryo development. The substrate specificity for esterase isozymes suggested that the slow moving group to which isozyme «x» and «y» belongs is the aryl esterase (3.1.1.2). The potential use of these isozymes as markers of competence of cells to undergo somatic embryogenesis is discussed.