FACTORS AFFECTING THE ONSET OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC-ACID SYNTHESIS DURING WHEAT EMBRYO GERMINATION - STUDY OF THE CHANGES IN DNA POLYMERASES-A, POLYMERASES-B AND POLYMERASES-C AND THE POOL OF DNA PRECURSORS

DNA synthesis starts about 12 h after water imbibition in wheat embryos. We have determined that noticeable amounts of labelled thymidine are found inside the embryo only after 6 hr of germination. DNA polymerase C from ungerminated wheat embryos decreased markedly in activity during the first hours of germination, whereas the activities of DNA polymerases A and B increased, having a maximum at about 15 h or germination. Serological evidence has suggested a clear antigenic relationship between DNA polymerases A and C. Although the pool of ATP increases rapidly after water imbibition, the increase in the pool of dNTP species was much slower.