ABSTRACT
An early event in the tissues of germinating seeds is the proliferation of intracellular membranes. In wheat aleurone tissue this process, which occurs during the first 24 hours, is not reflected in an increase in the activity of the endoplasmic reticulum marker enzyme NADH-cytochrome C reductase until after 24 hours but it is reflected in a 50% increase in phospholipid levels. The aleurone tissue was then isolated, homogenised in ethylene glycol: water and fractionated by differential centrifugation to yield some particulate fractions. The synthesis takes place predominantly in the fractions containing oleosomes and aleurone grain-oleosome complexes where new membrane is believed to be formed as prolamellar bodies attached to the oleosomes. Total lipid extracts were prepared from the sub-cellular fractions and the extracts were fractionated and assayed for their phospholipid contents. The inclusion of phospholipase inhibitors in the fractionation medium ensured high recoveries of phospholipid from this procedure.
