Lectin accumulation and synthesis in developing rice embryos.

Rice (Oryza sativa, L.) lectin is specifically synthesized during seed formation. It accumulates very rapidly between 8 and 16 days post anthesis and reaches its final content 20 days post anthesis. The rate of synthesis of this protein dramatically increases during the developmental phase coinciding with the rapid lectin accumulation. When the lectin accumulation stops, its rate of synthesis declines rapidly and eventually stops in fully mature embryos. It appears, therefore, that rice lectin is a maturation-specific protein.