Distribution of cadmium-binding components in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) seed

The distribution of cadmium- (Cd-) binding components in flaxseed (cultivar NorMan) containing 0.526 ppm (ng/mg) Cd was investigated. Proteins extracted from dehulled, defatted flaxseed were fractionated by anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. The contents of Cd and other metals, UV/visible spectral characteristics, and amino acid compositions of these fractions were analyzed. Over 66% of the eluted Cd was recovered by 0.1 M NaCl elution from DEAE-Sephacel, in a thiol-rich fraction representing only 7% of the extracted proteins. Sephadex G50 size-exclusion chromatography of this 0.1 M NaCl fraction concentrated most of the Cd in a low-molecular-weight peak eluting at V(t). About 72% of the extracted flaxseed proteins eluted from DEAE-Sephacel at 0.25 M NaCl and contained only 25% of the eluted Cd. Because the major Cd-binding fraction is a minor constituent of flaxseed, these results indicate the potential to isolate flaxseed's major storage protein with a low Cd content.