Cereal Chem 54:820 - 826.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Changes in the Catalases of Wheat During Kernel Growth and Maturation.

J. E. Kruger. Copyright 1977 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Changes in catalase activity have been determined for two hard red spring and two durum wheat cultivars during growth and maturation. Activity increased during early kernel growth and decreased as the kernel ripened. Maximal activity occurred at a later stage of development in durum than in hard red spring wheats. The majority of the catalase activity was present in the endosperm during development of the kernel. The rise and fall in activity of this tissue accounted primarily for changes seen in the whole kernel. Polyacrylamide slab electrophoresis indicated that different anatomical parts of the immature wheat kernel contained electrophoretically different catalase isozymes. Upon germination of Manitou wheat, catalase activity increased to twice the maximal amount present in the immature kernel. No new isozymes appeared during germination of this cultivar, but an additional component was observed in the durum wheat, Hercules.