Germination in pea seeds : proteolytic enzyme activity and electron microscopy

Abstract

This study was undertaken with two primary objectives in mind. The first objective was to isolate several pea seed hydrolases present during early seed germination. The second objective was to perform an ultrastructural investigation of protein mobilization in normally senescing and de-shooted cotyledons. It has been demonstrated biochemically that protein mobilization is delayed in de-shooted cotyledons (Guardiola and Sutcliffe 1971; Malek 1987). Peas were chosen for this study due to their large size, availability and the wealth of literature that was available as background. Despite the large amount of study, few pea seed enzymes have been purified to homogeneity. Isolation, characterization and localization of pea seed proteases will be necessary in order to piece together the puzzle of protein mobilization during germination.