Differential polypeptide patterns in imbibed dormant and after-ripenedAvena fatuaembryos

To test the hypothesis that differential gene expression is responsible for maintaining seed dormancy in wild oat (Avena fatua L.), we compared the polypeptide patterns of dormant and after-ripened (non-dormant) embryos of the inbred line M73. Polypeptides labelled in vivo or translated in vitro were separated by two dimensional electrophoresis followed by fluorography. Many of the newly synthesized proteins were more abundant in dormant embryos, while only a few were more prevalent in after-ripened embryos. The results demonstrate that steady-state levels of specific proteins and/or mRNAs differ between dormant and after-ripened embryos during early imbibition, and these differences may be associated with maintaining and/or breaking seed dormancy.