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The Hydrolysis of Endosperm Protein in Zea mays¹

^a Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1

Degradation of the major storage proteins in maize endosperm, zein and glutelin, begins during the 2nd day of germination. The protein most abundant in the mature endosperm is degraded most rapidly. The patterns of protein loss are essentially similar in germinating seeds and excised endosperms. Cycloheximide, added at the beginning of the incubation period, prevents the development of -amylase and protease activities and the disappearance of starch and protein reserves. Late additions (70 hours) of cycloheximide still inhibit the increase in hydrolase activity but have no effect on the hydrolysis of storage reserves. The results indicate that the hydrolytic enzymes are synthesized de novo in the maize endosperm.

³ To whom reprint requests should be addressed.

¹ This work was supported by Grant A2818 from the National Research Council of Canada and a National Research Council of Canada Post Graduate Fellowship to B.M.R.H.