ELECTROPHORETIC PATTERNS OF SEED ALBUMINS IN THE OLD-WORLD LUPINUS SPECIES (FABACEAE) - VARIATION IN THE 2S ALBUMIN CLASS

PAGE and SDS-PAGE electrophoretic analysis of 31 accessions of 10 Old-World Lupinus species, 5 smooth-seeded and 5 rough-seeded, covered total seed albumins and 2S albumins isolated by a solid-phase extraction. PAGE albumin patterns showed a distinct difference between the smooth- and rough-seeded lupins. SDS-PAGE analysis of seed albumins revealed interspecific differences, mainly due to the 2S albumins. The differences were especially marked in the smooth-seeded species. In the rough-seeded lupins the following subgroups were distinguished: (1) L. atlanticus, (2) L. cosentinii and L. digitatus, (3) L. palaestinus and L. pilosus. Evidence was provided that the 2S albumin class contains conglutin delta, so far classified as a globulin. The results are discussed with reference to taxonomic relationships of the Old-World lupins and characterization of the lupin seed albumin fraction.