BIOCHEMISTRY OF BARLEY GERMINATION ACTION OF GIBBERELLIC ACID ON BARLEY ENDOSPERM

Abstract

Treatment of barley endosperm with gibberellic acid stimulates the production of many hydrolytic enzymes and the release of sugars, polypeptides and inorganic phosphate into the culture medium, the endosperm of the treated preparations frequently disaggregating completely. The gibberellic acid appears to function by stimulating the living aleurone layer to synthesize enzymes de novo, rather than by activating preformed enzyme precursors throughout the endosperm.