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Red-Far Red Reversible Effect on Polysome Formation in the Embryos of Pinus thunbergii Seeds

Satohiko Sasaki² and Sumihiko Asakawa²

¹ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158, Government Forest Experiment Station, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153

Polysome formation in the embryos of Pinus thunbergii seeds was studied. Free ribosomes were dissociated to smaller subunits in a high salt buffer, but the complex ribosomes were not. The free ribosomes could be distinguished from monomer ribosomes derived from polysomes after RNase treatment. The monomer ribosomes present in the embryos of the dark-imbibed seeds were predominantly free ribosomes; very small quantities of polysomes could be detected in the embryos from dark-imbibed seeds. Such polysomes remained at a very low level during dark imbibition at least for a month. The level of polysomes increased 4 hours after a brief exposure to red light. The effect of red light on polysome formation was partially reversed when followed by far red light irradiation.