Changes were monitored in the activity of 10 enzymes and in the protein patterns revealed by one-dimensional SDS–PAGE gels during the maturation phase of hybrid larch somatic embryos up to the globular stage of the embryogenic cell line L2. For all the enzymes tested, activity increased up to 15 days after transfer of the proembryogenic calli on maturation media and then gradually decreased. In the globular somatic embryos, enzyme activity increased. Analyses of total protein patterns on SDS–PAGE indicated a decrease in the amount and number of detectable protein bands. As expected, mature globular embryos showed a different protein pattern. The decrease in calli metabolism, as demonstrated by enzyme activity and protein patterns, is consistent with the phenotypic observation of calli degeneration during the maturation phase. No differences in the protein pattern were observed between the embryogenic line L2 and another nonembryogenic line, L1. From these results, protein patterns specific to time in the maturation phase have been identified, but further investigation is required to determine if they are causes or effects of the process.

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