Based on measurements of total catalase hematin and the degradation constants of catalase hematin, zero order rate constants for the synthesis of catalase were determined during the development of sunflower cotyledons (Hellanthus annuus L.).Catalase synthesis reached a sharp maximum of about 400 picomoles hematin per day per cotyledon at day 1.5 during the elaboration of glyoxysomes in the dark. During the transition of glyoxysomes to leaf peroxisomes (greening cotyledons, day 2.5 to 5) catalase synthesis was constant at a level of about 30 to 40 picomoles hematin per day per cotyledon. In the cotyledons of seedlings kept in the dark (day 2.5 to 5) catalase synthesis did not exceed 10 picomoles hematin per day per cotyledon. During the peroxisome transition in the light, total catalase hematin was maintained at a high level, whereas total catalase activity rapidly decreased. In continuous darkness, total catalase hematin decreased considerably from a peak at day 2. The results show that both catalase synthesis and catalase degradation are regulated by light. The tumover characteristics of catalase are in accordance with the concept that glyoxysomes are transformed to leaf peroxisomes as described by the one population model and contradict the two population model and the enzyme synthesis changeover model which both postulate de novo formation of the leaf peroxisome population and degradation of the glyoxysome population.Studies on the transition of peroxisomes from glyoxysomal to leafperoxisomal function in greening oil storing cotyledons have given rise to three models (1). The two population model (6, 7) and the "enzyme synthesis changeover" model (14, 15) postulate a breakdown of glyoxysomes and a de novo formation of leaf peroxisomes, whereas the one population model (18) assumes that glyoxysomes are transformed into leaf peroxisomes. In contrast to the two population model, both the enzyme synthesis changeover model and the one population model predict peroxisomes of intermediary character, i.e. organelles containing both glyoxysomal and leaf peroxisomal enzymes during the transition stage. According to the enzyme synthesis changeover model, leaf-type peroxisomes are formed as a consequence of a turnover of the whole organelles, whereas in the one population model individual enzyme turnover within the same organelle leads to a gradual replacement of glyoxysomal by leaf peroxisomal enzymes. ' Supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Westfilischen WilhelmsUniversitat.The existence of peroxisomes of intermediary character has been demonstrated recently in immunocytochemical studies (10, 1 1, 17). These results provide strong evidence against the two population model which postulates two independent populations of peroxisomes functioning exclusively as either glyoxysomes or leaf peroxisomes. The question, however, whether individual enzyme turnover or organelle turnover accounts for the formation of the intermediary peroxisomes, could not be de...