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Haemoglobin expression in germinating barley

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

Stephen M.G. Duff ,
Phillip A. Guy ,
Xianzhou Nie ,
Douglas C. Durnin  and
Robert D. Hill
Stephen M.G. Duff
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
Phillip A. Guy
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
Xianzhou Nie
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
Douglas C. Durnin
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
Robert D. Hill*
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
*
*Tel: 204-474-6087 Fax: 204-474-7525 E-mail: rob_hill/@cc.umanitoba.ca
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Abstract

Polyclonal antibodies to purified recombinant barley haemoglobin (Hb) have been raised in rabbits and used to investigate its expression in monocotyledonous plants. Very little or no Hb expression was observed in dry barley seeds but germination resulted in the expression of Hb which peaked at 2–3 days after imbibition. Hb expression was also observed in maize, wheat, wild oat and Echinochloa crus-galli seeds during germination. Dissection of tissues from the barley seedlings showed that most of the haemoglobin was expressed in the root and seed coat (aleurone layer), with very little in the coleoptile. Imbibition of half-seeds or excised embryos resulted in the expression of haemoglobin. ATP measurements of barley embryos showed that ATP levels quickly increase after imbibition. α-Amylase activity was also determined in embryos to correlate Hb expression with a well-characterized germination response. The results demonstrate that Hb expression is a normal consequence of germination.

Keywords

Haemoglobingerminationbarleyembryosaleurones
Type
Physiology & Biochemistry
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , December 1998 , pp. 431 - 436
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

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