PROTEIN SYNTHESIS DURING GERMINATION OF POLLEN STUDIES ON POLYRIBOSOME FORMATION

The activation of the pollen grain of Tradescantia paludosa during germination is accompanied immediately by the initiation of protein synthesis. About 38 % of the ribosomes in ungerminated pollen grains are in polysomes. During germination there is a very rapid formation of additional polysomes beginning within as short a period as 2 min. A fraction of the ribosomes in the ungerminated pollen grain appears to be prepackaged with messenger RNA (mRNA), defined by the sensitivity of polysomes to dissociation by mild ribonuclease treatment. © 1969.