Biochemical and Morphological Changes in Protein Bodies during Germination of Lentil Seeds

Alvarez, J. and Guerra, H. 1985. Biochemical and morphologicalchanges in protein bodies during germination of lentil seeds.—J.exp. BoL 36: 1296–1303. Protein bodies were extracted from lentil (Lens culinaris Medilk,var. castellana) seeds. Proteins from the protein bodies weredegraded during the first 7 d of germination. In some casesthis mobilization of proteins was accompanied by fusion of theprotein bodies into a large central vacuole. The loss of proteinswas paralleled by an increase in the activity of an enzyme systemthat hydrolysed casein. The different kinds of protein bodiesexhibited structural differences; some displayed uniform material,others coagulated or semi-coagulated material and the thirdkind displayed inclusions. Key words: Lentil, protein bodies, seed germination