ELECTROPHORETIC VARIATIONS IN SEED PROTEIN PROFILE OF GREEN PEA (PISUM SATIVUM L) AND SOYBEAN [GLYCINE MAX (L.)MERR.] SEEDS SEEDLINGS DURING EARLY STAGES OF GERMINATION UNDER HEAT-STRESS.

The effect of high temperature treatment on seeds/seedlings of pea and soybean was investigated by analyzing qualitative protein profiles of heat-stressed and control seed/seedlings samples by performing Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). A comparative study of SDS-PAGE protein profiles of both the legume grains showed different response towards heat-stress. The high temperature-treatment up to 70 degrees C for 10 continuous days induced some changes on the metabolism of the seed tissues producing some new bands of proteins-probably heat shock proteins in pea where as in soybean the same stress promoted the disintegration of proteins and as a result, certain characteristic bands of proteins in the gel of control samples were disappeared from the high temperature-treated seed samples. SDS-PAGE derived seed protein profile is species specific and this analysis is very helpful to elucidate the response of seeds towards heat-stress and the production of heat shock proteins by seed tissues. The response towards the heat-stress varied in pea and soybean because pea seeds are protein and starch rich but soybean seeds are protein and lipid rich type.