Inhibitor of the oxidation of catechin released from the roots of corn seedlings

Summary When the specific activities of the catechin oxidases (catechin as the substrate) which were released from the roots of the seedlings of alfalfa, tomato, wheat, lettuce and corn were compared, it was found that the oxidizing activity was absent from the root exudate of corn seedlings. A 6.3 kDa protein was purified from the root exudate of corn seedlings and in the presence of this protein, the oxidation of catechin was inhibited. This inhibitor is responsible for the inability of the root exudate of corn seedlings to oxidize catechin.