Peer review

Protein bodies isolated from mature maize and sorghum grain were extracted with aqueous alcohol, followed by aqueous alcohol plus reducing agent. The protein bodies were examined by transmission electron microscopy before and after extraction and the extracted proteins were identified by electrophoresis. This revealed that both zein-2 and crosslinked kafirin, like the classical prolamins, zein-1 and kafirin, are located within the protein bodies of the starchy endosperm tissue. Electrophoresis also confirmed earlier observations that kafirin and crosslinked kafirin are virtually identical. It is suggested that it is probably not valid to consider them as being separate and distinct protein fractions.

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