The Effect of Sex Steroids and Corticosteroids on the Content of Soluble Proteins, Nucleic Acids and Reducing Sugars in Wolffia arrhiza (L.) Wimm. (Lemnaceae)

Research on the influence of sex steroids: β-estradiol, testosterone and corticosteroids: cortisone, cortisole (glucocorticoids), 11-deoxycorticosterone (mineralocorticoid) and prednisolone (chemical derivative of hydrocortisone) on changes of soluble proteins, nucleic acids and reducing sugars as a content of Wolffia arrhiza (Lemnaceae) has been conducted. Wolffia has been cultivated in Bialystok’s municipal tap water (rich in mineral but poor in organic components) during a 20-day period, in the optimal concentration of 10-5 to 10-6 M. It has been ascertained that the maximal stimulation of nucleic acids (DNA & RNA) was caused by β-estradiol in the range from 176-181%, testosterone 168-173%, cortisone 154-157%, 11-deoxycorticosterone 152-155%, cortisole 141-148% and prednisolone from 129-131%, in comparison to a 100% control. The soluble proteins content was stimulated the strongest by β-estradiol 181%, testosterone 170%, cortisole 141%, cortisone 138%, prednisolone 137%, and weaker by 11-deoxycorticosterone 128%. Reducing sugars content was stimulated most intensely only on the 5th day of cultivation by cortisone in 165%, 11-deoxycorticosterone 160-164%, cortisole in 157% and prednisolone in 149%, whereas β-estradiol had a stimulatory influence of 133-138% and testosterone – 119-121% in comparison to 100% control during the whole period of 20 days of Wolffia arrhiza cultivation.