Energy-dispersive x-ray analysis was used to investigate the elemental storage within protein bodies, specifically the globoid crystals, in grains of wheat. Areas of the grain investigated included various parts of the embryo, the aleurone layer plus starchy endosperm near the embryo and the aleurone layer plus starchy endosperm farthest from the embryo. Variations did occur grain-to-grain, cell-to-cell and, in certain regions, intracellularly. No protein bodies with electron-dense globoid crystals were found in the
Protein bodies of dry seeds of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) from radicle, hypocotyl, cotyledon, and endosperm tissue were extensively studied using thin-sectioning, freeze-fracturing and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis. Protein bodies varied in size, were oval to circular in section, and generally consisted of a proteinaceous matrix, globoid crystal, and protein crystalloid components. Size, shape, and arrangements of globoid crystals and protein crystalloids varied even within the same cell. Globoid crystals were generally oval to circular in section. They were always surrounded by a proteinaceous matrix. In a given protein body the number present ranged from a few to numerous. A protein body generally contained only one protein crystalloid. In section, protein crystalloids were irregular or angular in shape. They were composed of substructural particles which formed lattice planes. EDX analysis of tomato seed globoid crystals revealed the presence of P, K, and Mg in all cases, a fact that is consistent with globoid crystals being phytin-rich. Rarely, small amounts of calcium were found along with P, K, and Mg in globoid crystals of each of the tissue regions considered. The distribution pattern of cells with Ca containing globoid crystals was random. Small amounts of Fe and Mn were also found in the globoid crystals of protein bodies from certain cell types. These two elements, unlike calcium, were specific in terms of their distribution. Globoid crystals from the protodermal cells often contained Mn and Fe. The globoid crystals from provascular tissue of radicle, hypocotyl, and cotyledon regions often contained Fe while globoid crystals in the first layer of large cells surrounding these provascular areas always contained Fe. Results from EDX analysis of the proteinaceous material from the protein bodies are presented and discussed as are variations in elemental content due to different fixations.
Protein bodies in seeds are important for seedling growth because they provide necessary nitrogenous compounds. It is often overlooked that protein bodies also function as the subcellular location of much of a seed's reserves of macronutrients such as P, K, Ca, and Mg. Structural investigations of storage tissue from several cucurbit seeds have revealed that protein bodies often consist of proteinaceous matrix, protein crystalloid, soft globoid, and globoid crystal regions (2, 8, 9). The protein reserves are thought to be located primarily in the proteinaceous matrix and protein crystalloid regions. The mineral reserves usually occur in the electron-dense globoid crystals and are generally considered to be largely phytin, a cation (K, Mg, Ca) salt of inositol hexaphosphoric acid (3,4,(11)(12)(13).Recently, Lott et al. (7) published results of an energy-dispersive x-ray analysis study of globoid crystal composition in 10 different regions of Cucurbita maxima embryos. Although P, K, and Mg were commonly found in globoid crystals in all squash embryo regions, the Ca distribution showed definite differences between embryo regions. Ca was common in globoid crystals of the radicle and stem regions. In the cotyledon, Ca levels were on average much lower than those of the root-shoot regions. Most globoid crystals from spongy or palisade mesophyll cells lacked any detectable Ca. The bulk of the Ca values for the cotyledon samples thus came from a fraction of the globoid crystals present. In this paper we report the results of EDX2 analysis studies designed to discover where globoid crystals with relatively high Ca levels are located within Cucurbita cotyledons.
SPITZER, E., and J. N. A. LOTT. 1982. Protein bodies in umbelliferous seeds. I. Structure. Can. J. Bot. 60: 1381-1391.The structure of the protein bodies from seeds of the family Umbelliferae has not been studied extensively since late in the 19th century. Using light and electron microscopy structural aspects of the protein bodies of carrot (Daucus carota L. cv. Imperator 408), wild carrot (Daucus carota L.), caraway (Carum carvi L.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), celery (Apiurn graveolens L. cv. Tall Utah), fennel (Foeniculum vulgareMill), parsnip (Pastinacasativa L. cv. Hollow Crown), parsley (Petroselinum sativum L. cv.Moss Curled), and chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium L. cv. Curled) were studied. Both endosperm and embryo protein bodies were investigated. Structurally, the protein bodies from all these genera were similar in that two types of protein bodies were found. One type consisted of a homogeneous, proteinaceous matrix and a number of variously sized, globoid crystal inclusions. The other type consisted of a homogeneous, proteinaceous matrix and either an individual or, more commonly, an aggregate of calcium-rich crystals arranged in a cluster usually termed a druse. Both types of protein bodies were never found in the same cell. Only globoid crystals were found in the embryo protein bodies. Protein bodies in the embryos were smaller, more numerous per cell, and often contained a flocculent, proteinaceous matrix. SPITZER, E., et J. N. A. LOTT. 1982. Protein bodies in umbelliferous seeds. I. Structure. Can. J. Bot. 60: 1381-1391.La structure des grains d'aleurone dans les graines des ombelliferes n'a pas t t t ttudite de maniere approfondie depuis la fin du 19e siecle. Les caracttristiques structurales des grains d'aleurone des plantes suivantes ont ttC ttudites en microscopic photonique et tlectronique: la carotte cultivCe (Daucus carota L. cv. Imperator 408), la carotte sauvage (Daucus carota L.), le carvi (Carum carvi L.), l'anis (Pimpinella anisum L.), l'aneth (Anethum graveolens L.), le ctleri (Apiurn graveolens L. cv. Tall Utah), le fenouil (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), le panais (Pastinaca sativa L. cv. Hollow Crown), le persil (Petroselinum sativum L. cv. Moss Curled) et le cerfeuil (Anthriscus cerefolium L. cv. Curled). Les grains d'aleurone de l'endosperme et ceux de l'embryon ont tous deux Ctt ttudits. D'un point de vue structural, les grains d'aleurone sont semblables chez toutes ces plantes, en ce sens que deux types de grains d'aleurone s'y rencontrent. Le premier type consiste en une matrice prottique homogene avec plusieurs inclusions spheriques cristallines de dimensions diverses. L'autre type consiste en une matrice proteique homogene avec soit un seul, soit le plus souvent un agrCgat de cristaux riches en calcium disposes en un amas habituellement nommt druse. Les deux types de grains d'aleurone ne se rencontrent jamais dans la meme cellule. Seuls des cristaux sphtriques se rencontrent dans les grains d'aleurone de l'embryon. Les grains d'aleurone de l'embry...
The chemical composition of the calcium-rich crystal inclusions present in the seed protein bodies of carrot (Daucus carota L. cv. Imperator 408), wild carrot (Daucus carota L.), caraway (Carum carvi L.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), celery (Apium graveolens L. cv. Tall Utah), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L. cv. Hollow Crown), parsley (Petroselinum sativum L. cv. Moss Curled), and chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium L. cv. Curled) was determined. Using a variety of methods including X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, microincineration, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, solubility studies, and staining, the chemical composition of the calcium-rich crystal inclusions was identified as calcium oxalate.
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