Changes in ribosomal proteins of wheat embryos during accelerated ageing of the grain

Abstract

Electrophoretic separation of ribosomal proteins of wheat embryos from grain analysed immediately after the harvest (control) yielded four anodic and six cathodic fractions. In caryopses subjected to accelerated ageing the ribosomal proteins separated into 5 anodic and 8 cathodic fractions. With the advance of ageing an increase in the amount of low molecular weight molecules was observed in the ribosomes of the embryos. In ribosomes from wheat caryopse embryos (control) 76 individual proteins - 10 acidic and 66 basic ones - were recorded. In the embryos of aged caryopses 53 proteins were found - 16 acidic and 37 basic ones. The mobility of nearly all individual proteins was also changed as compared to that in the control sample. This is additional evidence of the modification of the proteins in the ageing process and leads as consequence to a change in their electric charges.