The relationship between glutathione and protein sulphydryl groups in germinating pea seeds

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Abstract
The soaking of pea seeds in increasing concentrations of [image]-ethylmaleimide produced a proportional decrease in the GSH concentration in the seed. This in turn was found to decrease the sulphydryldisulphide ratio of the proteins without changing the determinable protein (sulphydryl + disul-phide) concentration. These treatments markedly decreased the percentage germination of the seeds. The number of protein disulphide groups reduced was greater with sodium tetrahydroborate than with sodium sulphite. In an extract of seeds which had been soaked for 16 hr., sodium tetrahydroborate did not reduce all the disulphide groups. The results suggest that chemical reactions take place in vivo between glutathione and protein sulphydryl groups.