Apple seeds (Malus domestica Borkh. cv Golden Delicious) were stratified at 5 and 15 degrees C for various lengths, weighed, and soluble protein of axis and cotyledon tissue was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Only seeds treated at 5 degrees C germinated; seeds treated at 15 degrees C did not germinate. Optimal germination required 63 days of stratification. Excised embryos required less stratification time for germination than intact seeds. When stratification was less than 35 days, the resulting seedlings from 5 degrees C stratified embryos were dwarfed and epinastic. After 63 days of stratification, axes from 5 and 15 degrees C treated intact seeds had increased in fresh weight by 72 and 28% (w/w), respectively. The dry weights of the axes did not change significantly and both fresh and dry weights of cotyledons remained unchanged during stratification. Total soluble protein in axes and cotyledons changed very little during stratification. However, axis polypeptide profiles changed. Most obvious was the occurrence of a new polypeptide and the increase of four other clearly identifiable polypeptides during 5 degrees C treatment. The levels of the five most predominant axis proteins decreased at the same time. We observed no changes in the profiles of soluble cotyledon proteins. Control seeds kept at -10 degrees C showed none of the reported changes.