The subcellular location of a glucuronyltransferase (GT) involved in glucuronoxylan synthesis in pea (Pisum sativum) has been investigated. Most of the GT activity was found in the Golgi fraction, but activity was also detected in the plasma-membrane fraction. Separation of Golgi membranes on a shallow continuous sucrose density gradient resulted in three distinct subfractions, with GT activity being confined to Golgi membranes of a density similar to that of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The differential distribution of GT within the Golgi stack indicates that glucuronoxylan synthesis occurs in specific cisternae and that there is functional compartmentalization of the Golgi with respect to hemicellulose biosynthesis.
