Trypsin/chymotrypsin inhibitors from millets.

Properties of purified proteinase inhibitors from the small-seeded grains, finger millet, sorghum, pearl millet, Italian millet, and barnyard millet are compared. The changes in the levels of inhibitory activities during germination and plant growth of finger millet and barnyard millet are discussed. The action of millet proteinase inhibitors on human and other animal pancreatic enzymes is detailed. The role of substrates in determining the magnitude of the inhibition of proteolytic enzymes by the millet inhibitors is emphasized.