Protein Synthesis during Germination
All of the components necessary for the resumption of pro-
tein synthesis upon imbibition are present within the cells of
mature dry embryos, although polysomes are absent. How-
ever, within minutes of rehydration there is a decline in the
number of single ribosomes as they become recruited into
polysomal protein-synthesizing complexes. Initial protein
synthesis is dependent on extant ribosomes, but newly syn-
thesized ribosomes are produced and used within hours of
initial polysome assembly (Dommes and Van der Walle, 1990).