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Multiple zeins from maize endosperms characterized by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography
1U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Northern Regional Research Center, Plant Polymer Research, Peoria, Illinois 61604.
Plant Physiology
|March 1, 1991
Summary
Maize (Zea mays L.) zein proteins are complex. Combining size, charge, and hydrophobicity separations reveals many zein types, necessitating a unified nomenclature for clarity.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biochemistry
- Proteomics
- Maize Genetics
Background:
- Maize endosperm storage proteins, zeins, are crucial for seed development.
- Zeins are organized within protein bodies in the endosperm.
- Existing separation techniques reveal significant complexity in zein composition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively characterize maize zein heterogeneity.
- To address the confusion caused by diverse nomenclature systems.
- To propose a unified and expandable nomenclature for maize zeins.
Main Methods:
- Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) for size-based separation.
- Isoelectric focusing (IEF) for charge-based separation.
- Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for hydrophobicity-based separation.
Main Results:
- SDS-PAGE separated zeins into two major and four minor classes.
- IEF resolved major zein classes into numerous components.
- HPLC further resolved zeins, revealing interactions between separation methods and identifying distinct peaks for minor zein classes.
- Cross-analysis showed IEF bands yielding multiple HPLC fractions and vice versa, indicating extensive zein diversity.
Conclusions:
- The combination of SDS-PAGE, IEF, and HPLC reveals a vast number of maize zein components.
- The complexity of zeins necessitates a standardized nomenclature.
- A proposed key offers a flexible system for naming maize zeins, aiding research consistency.
