[cDNA cloning and sequence analysis of leginsulin gene in broad bean (Vicia faba)]

In order to elucidate the relationship between the structural features of leginsulin gene in legume plants and their phylogenetic significance, we have cloned the cDNA sequence of leginsulin gene from radicles of broad bean (Vicia faba) via RT-PCR techniques according to the leginsulin gene sequence we previously obtained from soybean (Glycine max). The cloned cDNA encoded for a precursor protein consisting of the signal peptide, mature leginsulin and an additional 45 amino acids of another polypeptide. A sequence search for homology comparison revealed the cloned leginsulin cDNA fragment shares 62.5% and 58.7% similarity to soybean and pea, respectively. The results also shown that leginsulin cDNA from broad bean presents 44.2% and 43.6% amino acid sequence homology with soybean and pea (Pisum sativum), respectively, and that there exists highly conserved cysteine sites among the leginsulin cDNAs, which may play a crucial role in maintaining the three-dimensional structure and the physiological functions of leginsulin.