Soybean basic 7 S globulin represents a protein widely distributed in legume species

Abstract

The LII subunit of the soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merrill) basic 7 S globulin seed storage protein was purified, and its amino acid sequence was determined. This subunit contains a relatively high proportion of sulphur‐containing amino acids and an extremely low content of glutamic acid. The amino acid sequence was found to be homologous to that of conglutin γ from lupin seeds. Other legume species examined have a protein which cross‐reacts with antibody raised against the LII subunit. This suggests that the basic 7 S globulin‐like protein is widely distributed in the seeds of legume species.