Seasonal variations in carbohydrate, protein, free amino acids and enzyme activities in three species of Marchantiaceae

Abstract

This study provides information on the seasonal variations in storage compounds and enzyme activities related to these storage compounds in three species of the family Marchantiaceae: Marchantia palmata, M. nepalensis and Dumortiera hirsuta. Dumortiera hirsuta growing near water streams or hydric habitat shows higher carbohydrate as well as protein content and exhibits low seasonal changes as compared to M. palmata and M. nepalensis which grows in mesic conditions. In all the species the activity of α-amylase, β-amylase and invertase were decreasing towards the end of the primary growth season due to carbohydrate accumulation in their thalli in this period. The relationship between protein and free amino acids (FAA) was found to be inverse. The activity of protease, which is associated with the metabolism of proteins, was noticed to peak in the rainy season.