A comparative study of water distribution and dehydrin protein localization in maturing pea seeds.
In this study, the distribution of water in pea seeds after harvesting at different seed stages was traced by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI visualized the process of water loss in maturing pea seeds. MR images showed local inhomogeneities of water distribution inside seeds. The intensity of the signal coming from water declined from the inner to the outer part of cotyledon tissue. This spatial inhomogeneity of water signals inside cotyledons may be correlated with the gradient of storage substances accumulation within cotyledons. Tissue localization of dehydrins showed the presence of dehydrin protein in the area of protovascular tissue of both the embryo axis and cotyledons. The temporal accumulation of two dehydrin proteins with molecular masses of 30 and 35kDa correlated well with seed desiccation. The pattern of dehydrin localization reflected the pattern of water distribution in the protovascular bundles region of maturing pea embryos, suggesting the involvement of these proteins in promoting water influx into the vascular bundles.
Department of Plant Physiology, A. Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland. garnczar@amu.edu.pl
Małgorzata
M
Garnczarska
Tomasz
T
Zalewski
Łukasz
Ł
Wojtyla
D018533:Biomass; D018548:Cotyledon / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport; D012639:Seeds / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*
D010940:Plant Proteins; D014867:Water; C070556:dehydrin proteins, plant