In Vitro Translation of {alpha}-Amylase mRNA from Dry Wheat Embryos

The poly(A)⁺RNA fraction was separated from ungerminated wheatembryos and translated in both wheat germ extract and rabbitreticulocyte lysate systems. The polypeptides synthesized invitro were immunoprecipitated using rabbit anti-wheat -amylaseantibody. Fluorography after SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresisshowed a band of molecular weight of 43,000, which was the sameas that of the -amylase precursor polypeptide. The -amylaseprecursor synthesized from the mRNA of dry embryos belongedto the group II isozyme subset, characterized by an acidic isoelectricpoint. ²Present address: Matsumae High SchoolMatsumae-cho, Hokkaido049-15, Japan. (Received February 1, 1988; Accepted June 1, 1988)