ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AMARANTIN, THE 11S AMARANTH SEED GLOBULIN

The 11S globulin of seed storage protein of Amaranthus hypochondriacus , termed amarantin, was isolated. This fraction was evaluated for its purity by chromatographic techniques and ultracentrifugation. The 11S globulin was analyzed by sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel ele ctrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) without and with prior reduction of disulfide bonds, and by nondenaturing-PAGE. It exhibited an electrophoretic beha vior similar To that of 11S-like proteins in other materials, Its appa rent relative molecular weight was estimated to be 389 kDa by gel filt ration chromatography at low ionic strength. Ultracentrifugation of th e freeze-dried extract gave a sedimentation coefficient of 11S.