Accumulation of seed storage proteins and the taxonomy of Poaceae

The accumulation of specific seed proteins is a taxonomically valuable feature and can be used to additionally characterize plant taxa. To date, mainly crop proteins have been analysed in the Poaceae. In this investigation seed proteins from 147 species were screened with emphasis on legumin-like proteins and prolamins. The groups resulting from evaluation of the protein profiles correspond with well-known subfamilies and tribes. Panicoideae are clearly separated from Pooideae. Within Pooideae, the Bromeae plus Triticeae tribes revealed obvious similarities. Lolium, Festuca and Vulpia, generally included in the tribe Festuceae, revealed a protein profile similar to the profile of the Bromeae/Triticeae. Legumin-like proteins are accumulated abundantly in Bambusoideae and Pooideae except Bromeae/Triticeae, however, only the species included in the Aveninae subtribe produce ''soluble'' (globulin-type) legumins as already known from Avena sativa.