The reserve proteins in the cells of mature cotyledons ofLupinus albus var.Lucky

Summary The nuclear DNA content of cotyledonary cells of two lupin seeds (L₁ and L₂) with markedly different total protein content, were investigated by scanning cytophotometry. Both seeds had polyloid nuclei with DNA levels varying between 8 C and 64 C, the majority being either 16 C or 32 C. The highest DNA levels were found in the abaxial and central cotyledonary zones of both seeds; seed L₂ had a higher ploidy level than L₁. It is shown that the volume of condensed chromatin (chromocenters) increased proportionally with the DNA content of the nucleus. A comparison was made between the distribution of protein, previously determined byLe Gal andRey (1986) and the DNA throughout the cotyledon. The L₂ seed, which has the highest total protein and the highest protein content per cell, also exhibited the greatest DNA content per cell. For both seeds, the r-value for association of DNA and protein content per cell was highly significant (0.98).