AMINO-ACID AND MINERAL COMPOSITION OF ROOTS OF KAZAKHSTAN Haloxylon SPECIES

We previously studied the aminoand fatty-acid compositions of the aerial parts of three Haloxylon spp. growing in Kazakhstan. These were H. persicum Bunge ex Boiss. et Buhse, H. aphyllum (Minkw.) Iljin, and H. ammodendron (C. A. Mey.) Bunge ex Fenzl [1]. Herein the compositions and contents of 18 amino acids in proteins of roots and aerial parts of the three Haloxylon spp. are analyzed and compared (Table 1). The studies found that the qualitative compositions of amino acids in both plant parts were identical. Differences were observed in the quantitative amounts. The quantitative composition of bound amino acids of Haloxylon roots was determined on an AAA-881 amino-acid analyzer (Czech Rep.). Proteins were hydrolyzed in HCl (5.7 N) for 24 h at 110°C in sealed ampuls [2]. The analytical results showed that roots of all three Haloxylon spp. contained valine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine in amounts greater than those of these same acids in the aerial part. The contents of amino acids such as alanine, arginine, histidine, aspartic acid, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, serine, tyrosine, and cystine were greater in the aerial part than in the roots.