Globulin-p and 11S-globulin from amaranthus Hypochondriacus: are two isoforms of the 11S-globulin.

Amaranth is an ancient crop with a high content of good quality proteins. Globulins are some of the most abundant storage proteins of amaranth grain. They contain two fractions distinguishable according to their different solubility: the salt-soluble 7S and 11S-globulins and the globulin-p soluble in mild-alkaline, low-ionic-strength solutions. As part of the amaranth proteins characterization, in this work we investigated the structural characteristics responsible for the different physicochemical properties of these globulins. We studied certain conformational parameters of the purified aggregates (AMGp) and individual molecules (IMGp) of globulin-p and of the partially purified globulin (ppGb) and compared the AMGp polypeptide sequences with the sequence of the 11S-globulin propolypeptide from Amaranthus (gi|122726601). The results indicated that the AMGp aggregates are responsible for the different solubility of globulin-p. Subtle conformational differences as determined by fluorescence spectroscopy and urea sensitivity were found between the molecules studied: The AMGp showed some surface differences from the IMGp and the ppGb; the AMGp also had a lower affinity for the hydrophobic fluorescent probe 1,8-aniline-naphthalene-sulfonate and a higher ionic charge than the ppGb and the IMGp, characteristics that might cause their lower solubility. In addition, we have demonstrated differences between the AMGp polypeptide sequences and that reported for amaranth 11S-globulin. These differences suggest that the globulin-p and 11S-globulin are two 11S-globulin isoforms comprised of polypeptides coming from different legumin-gene subfamilies.