Pseudogermin activity during maturation and germination of wheat seeds

The OxO activities of ψG during maturation and germination of wheat seeds were measured by SDS-PAGE followed by OxO activity staining. The results showed that there was no expression of G and G ' , but only that of ψG during wheat seeds maturation (Fig.2). 10 days after anthesis, the OxO activity of ψG was observed in glumes, palea, lemma, seed coat and pericarp, then the OxO activities in glumes, lemma, seed coat and pericarp increased rapidly and remained high until the seeds matured (Fig. 2). Basing on the observation that ψG was expressed mainly in the tissues abundant in lignin when cell growth just stopped, it was suggestedthat ψG may function in promoting lignification of cell wall of glumes, palea, lemma, seed coat and pericarp by producing H2O2 by oxidation oxalate. During wheat seeds germination, ψG was present in vascular transition region in addition to G and G ' in Zhongyu 5 (Fig.3), but it was not necessary for germination.