Hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein in the seed coat of field bean

1. The seed coats of field bean (Dolichos lablab var. lignosus) were found to contain bound hydroxyproline (0.26 g per 100 g dry weight) extractable in 30% with 5% trichloroacetic acid or in 90% with 10% potassium hydroxide. 2. The alkaline extract was fractionated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography into several hydroxyproline-containing fractions, composed of protein and carbohydrate in varying proportions. From the major fraction, a hydroxyproline-containing glycoprotein fraction was isolated by Sephadex G-200 chromatography. It gave a single band on agar-gel electrophoresis, and contained: protein (23.1%), arabinose (11.2%), galactose (13.4%), glucose (17.6%), mannose (22.6%) and uronic acids (11.3%). The content of hydroxyproline in the protein moiety was about 9%. Hydrolysis of the glycoprotein fraction with barium hydroxide yielded three components containing hydroxyproline and arabinose at the ratios of 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4.