Comparative analysis of storage proteins of Lotus spp. seeds by CGE and SDS-PAGE

L. tenuis and L. corniculatus seeds are morphologically very similar but their purchase prices are quite different. Chromosome number counting is the only test used thus far in laboratories for the identification of these seeds. Recently, the flavonol's pattern has been used as a criterion for differentiation. In the present work, we studied the storage protein patterns of different Lotus seed samples by capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE), as an alternative method, comparing it with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The seeds were treated according to International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) recommendations. CGE separations were performed using an uncoated capillary of 18 cm effective length and 50 microns i.d. and the Bio-Rad Protein Kit (Hercules, CA, U.S.A.). On-line detection was carried out at 220 nm.