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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Grain Quality and Structure Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #140112
Title: EVALUATION OF NOVEL PRECAST SDS-PAGE GELS FOR SEPARATION OF SORGHUM PROTEINS.

Author
item Bean, Scott

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/4/2003
Publication Date: 9/1/2003
Citation: BEAN, S. EVALUATION OF NOVEL PRECAST SDS-PAGE GELS FOR SEPARATION OF SORGHUM PROTEINS.. CEREAL CHEMISTRY. 2003. 80:500-504.

Interpretive Summary: Sorghum is a drought resistant, low input cereal grain grown through the Central U.S. Most of the sorghum grown in the U.S. is currently used for animal feed. However, worldwide, 30-40% of the sorghum crop is used for human food. The U.S. exports ~20% of its annual sorghum crop. To increase the utilization of sorghum, and thereby its marketability, basic research must be carried out on the properties of sorghum proteins. This paper reports improved methods for studying the proteins found in sorghum. This methodology will be beneficial to scientists and plant breeders working to improve the digestibility of sorghum proteins and improve its nutritional quality. The methods presented in this paper will also aid other research at understanding sorghum proteins and how to make them more functional, which would increase there use in foods and other products.

Technical Abstract: Pre-cast polyacrylamide gels using novel buffer chemistry for enhanced resolution and shelf life stability were evaluated for separating sorghum proteins. Two gels with different acrylamide concentrations, 12 and 4-12%, were tested with two different buffer systems. Gels were evaluated for separation resolution as well as protein solubility problems, such as streaking. High resolution separations were obtained for all the major classes of kernel proteins using these gels. Run times were typically 45 to 60 min, producing relatively rapid separations. Resolution was significantly affected by the buffer system used. The use of precast gradient gels eliminates the need for casting gradient gels for routine analysis of sorghum proteins and avoids handling the toxic acrylamide monomer. This system will be useful for routine separations of sorghum proteins as well as for research programs using SDS-PAGE to screen sorghum lines for digestibility or for other protein-related quality factors.