Changes in proteolytic enzyme activities and transformation of nitrogenous compounds in the germinating seeds of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).

Hydrolytic activity towards synthetic substrates and denatured proteins was measured in the extracts of the seeds of kidney bean at various stages of germination up to 16 days.Of the peptide hydrolases, chymotrypsin-type activity was stable for the first 7 days, then rapidly increased towards the end; leucine aminopeptidase activity decreased to a minimum (8th day) then slowly increased again; trypsin-type activity remained constant throughout.Proteolytic and autodigesting activities showed an optimum between pH 5.0 and 5.5. Both activities decreased slowly first, then rose to a sharp maximum at the 8th day. The haemoglobin-digesting activity after a minimum increased again at the 14th day. The autodigesting activity had an additional maximum.Concomitant with these changes, non-protein nitrogen increased twofold by the 5th day, remained constant up to the 12th day and then increased again. Protein content on the other hand decreased first, had a maximum at the 9th day after which it steadily decreased again. The amounts of albumins and globulins changed independently of each other: albumins decreased continuously with the exception of a steady period (5-9th days), while globulins were more stable except for a sharp minimum (6-7th days) and a steady decrease after the 13th day.