Changes in the activity of peach bud adenosine kinase from the dormancy period to bud break

Variations in adenosine kinase (EC 2.7.1.20) activity during 4 autumn-winter periods in peach buds showed high increases in specific activity in late December or early January in flower buds, but in late February or in early March in vegetative ones. These rises in enzyme activity coincided with the start of actual growth. After dormancy release, the enzyme activity increased as soon as buds were subjected to favourable temperature conditions, whereas it's rise appeared much later in conditions of cold deprivation (in a greenhouse). Quantitative evaluations of adenosine kinase employing Western blots seemed to be correlated with quantities of enzyme present in the buds. In peach, adenosine kinase could be considered as a marker enzyme of flower and vegetative bud growth ability.