XVI International Botanical Congess

Ethanolic fermentation can provide plants with ATP during oxygen limitation. We propose a role in aerobic metabolism, as well. Tobacco pollen perform active fermentation concomitantly with respiration, and we are testing the theory that the main function of the pathway in pollen is the oxidation and further metabolism of acetaldehyde. A role of ethanolic fermentation in aerobically grown vegetative tissues is inferred from overexpression studies. Overproduction of pyruvate decarboxylase in potato causes a lesion mimic phenotype, induces major changes in carbohydrate metabolism and leads to broad pathogen resistance. Our results suggest that this ancient pathway has unexpected functions in aerobic metabolism.