IDENTIFICATION OF CULTIVAR-SPECIFIC LEGHEMOGLOBIN COMPONENTS IN PISUM-SATIVUM

The components of leghaemoglobin (Lb) from twelve different Pisum sati vum L. cvs and three near-isogenic foliar mutants were investigated by anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Five di fferent Lb component profiles could be found. The number of components varied from four to six dependent on cultivar used. An Lb pattern com posed of four Lb components could be detected in thirteen P. sativum c ultivars and lines. Ten of them showed an identical profile. In nodule s of each cultivar, the two known major components, LbI and LbV, but a lso LbIV, could be detected. Additionally, cultivar-specific Lb compon ents could be identified, each representing up to 10% of total Lb. One of these components, LbIII, has been described previously, but three new Lb components (LbII, LbVI, and LbVII) were found. The presence of all Lb components detected by HPLC was confirmed by analytical isoelec tric focusing. Further, it was shown that age-dependent changes in the relative concentrations of LbI and LbV are common in P. sativum and t hat these variations are independent of breeding lines and cultivars.