Three different isoforms of invertases have been detected in the developing internodes of barley (Hordeum vulgare). Based on substrate specificities, the isoforms have been identified to be invertases (i6-fructosidases EC 3.2.1.26). The soluble (cytosolic) invertase isoform can be purified to apparent homogeneity by diethylaminoethyl cellulose, Concanavalin-A Sepharose, organomercurial Sepharose, and Sephacryl S-300 chromatography. A bound (cell wall) invertase isoform can be released by 1 molar salt and purified further by the same procedures as above except omitting the organo-mercurial Sepharose affinity chromatography step. A third isoform of invertase, which is apparently tightly associated with the cell wall, cannot be isolated yet. The soluble and bound invertase isoforms were purified by factors of 60-and 7-fold, respectively. The native enzymes have an apparent molecular weight of 120 kilodaltons as estimated by gel filtration.They have been identified to be dimers under denaturing and nondenaturing conditions. The soluble enzyme has a pH optimum of 5.5, Km of 12 millimolar, and a V,,, of 80 micromole per minute per milligram of protein compared with cell wall isozyme which has a pH optimum of 4.5, Km of millimolar, and a V,. of 9 micromole per minute per milligram of protein.Invertase (EE 3.2.1.26) is responsible for the hydrolysis of photosynthate sucrose to D-glucose and D-fructose. The level of this enzyme has been found to be regulated by GAs2 (4, 5) as well as by gravity (7). In GA3-treated oat stem segments and gravistimulated leaf-sheath pulvini ofbarley the invertase activity is induced within 6 h and continues to increase over 48 h.Although plant invertases have been examined in a number of plants (1-5, 8, 12, 15, 16-18) and yeast (14), little is known about their biochemical structure, the genes responsible for their synthesis, and the mechanism by which hormones regulate their expression. Therefore, investigating the enzyme invertase will contribute significantly to our understanding of the mechanism underlying elongation growth in stems (4,5) and asymmetric growth in graviresponding organs (roots and shoots) (6).