title: Storage proteins from Lathyrus sativus seeds.
abstract: The proteins from Lathyrus sativus Linn. (chickling vetch or grass pea) seeds were investigated. Protein constitutes approximately 20% of the seed dry weight, >60% of which is composed by globulins and 30% by albumins. A single, 24 kDa polypeptide comprises more than half of the protein present in the albumin fraction. The globulins may be fractionated into three main components, which were named alpha-lathyrin (the major globulin), beta-lathyrin, and gamma-lathyrin. alpha-Lathyrin, with a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 18S, is composed of three main types of unglycosylated subunits (50-66 kDa), each of which produce, upon reduction, a heavy and a light polypeptide chain, by analogy with 11S. beta-Lathyrin, with a sedimentation coefficient of 13S, is composed by a relatively large number of subunits (8-66 kDa). Two major polypeptides are glycosylated and exhibit structural similarity with beta-conglutin from Lupinus albus. One of these possesses an internal disulfide bond. gamma-Lathyrin, with a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 5S, contains two interacting, unglycosylated polypeptides, with no disulfide bonds: the major 24 kDa albumin and the heavier (20 kDa) polypeptide chain of La. sativus lectin.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Apartado 127, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D005960:Glucosides / Q000737:chemistry*; D006031:Glycosylation; D015151:Immunoblotting; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D037121:Plant Lectins; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D005960:Glucosides; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D010940:Plant Proteins