[Effect of chitosan on the cell ultrastructure and activity of hydrolases in tobacco leaves].

Effect of chitosan on the mesophyll cell ultrastucture and activity of hydrolases in leaves of tobacco cv. Samsun was studied. It was shown that, in many cells, chitosan treatment stimulated the protein-synthesizing apparatus (nucleolus dimension and amount of both mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum membranes increased) and, at the same time, caused some activation of lytic compartment expressed in the stimulation of the formation of dictyosomes, smooth ER elements and cytoplasmic vacuoles, which are all prominent constituents of this compartment. In biochemical experiments, it was established that chitosan substantially enhanced activity of hydrolases (acid phosphatase, RNase, proteases) in the leaves as compared to untreated leaves. In some cells chitosan treatment caused considerable destructive changes (condensation of nuclear chromatin, collapse of cytoplasm and so on) that can be classified as a result of programmed cell death development.