Germin: physicochemical properties of the glycoprotein which signals onset of growth in the germinating wheat embryo

Abstract

The size and structure of germin, the homooligomeric glycoprotein which marks the onset of growth in germinating wheat embryos, has been examined by gel filtration, ultracentrifugation, electron microscopy, chemical cross-linking, and optical techniques (circular dichroism). Germin has a sedimentation coefficient (S_20,w) of 7.3S, and a Stokes' radius (R_S) of 4.5 nm, the latter value being compatible with the dimensions of the particle observed by negative staining in the electron microscope. By three methods (sedimentation equilibrium, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) – polyacrylamide electrophoresis, S_20,w/R_S), the mean particle mass of the two closely related forms of germin (G and G′) is ca. 130 kilodaltons (kDa). Cross-linking with dimethyl suberimidate indicates that the oligomer is homopentameric, compatible with the molecular mass of the protomer (ca. 26 kDa) as determined by SDS–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Using the Provencher and Glockner analysis to interpret circular dichroism measurements (in the far ultraviolet), both forms of germin contain about 10–20% α-helical structure, 50–60% β-sheet/turn structure, and 20–30% random coil. In a structure-inducing environment (45% trifluoroethanol), the α-helical structure increases to a value (35–40%) similar to that predicted by Chou–Fasman analysis of the protein sequence deduced by cDNA sequencing.