Polysaccharidases and the control of cell wall elongation.

Avena coleoptile sections were treated with a fraction of a fungal filtrate containing a potent cellulase. Elongation rate was not affected although turgor pressure remained constant and wall extensibility was increased. These data show that the simple weakening of cell walls is not sufficient to promote growth and suggest that endogenous polysaccharidases are not the means by which the growth rate of the coleoptile is regulated.