Effect of cold on endogenous fucosyl transferase activity in corn roots.

Incubation of excised, 1-centimeter long root tips of corn in chilled distilled H(2)O increases the activity of extractable GDP fucose: polysaccharide fucosyl transferase. Enhancement of transferase activity is optimal at 10 C and incubation at this temperature for 8 hours causes a 3- to 5-fold stimulation of activity. Transfer of roots from 10 to 30 C reverses the enhancement of enzyme activity although reciprocal transfer of roots from 30 to 10 C does not stimulate the accumulation of transferase activity.