Cytochemical localization of phenol-oxidizing enzymes in lignifying Coleus blumei stems

The cytochemical localization of the phenol oxidases, laccase and peroxidase, has been studied in pro-lignifying and lignifying Coleus blumei stem sections using 4-methoxy-alpha-naphthol as substrate. The results illustrated that, for short incubation times, both pro-lignifying and lignifying Coleus sections showed H2O2-dependent phenol oxidase (peroxidase-like) activity in epidermal and vascular tissues, while no detectable H2O2-independent phenol oxidase (laccase-like) activity was found in Coleus tissues. For long incubation times, H2O2-independent phenol-oxidases can also be detected in these tissues, however, this is probably due to the partial capability of intercellular washing fluid Coleus peroxidase to oxidize 4-methoxy-alpha-naphthol in the absence of exogenously added H2O2. This illustrates not only the importance of the substrate used, but also the importance of the incubation time, in the cytochemical localization of phenol oxidizing enzymes.