Molecular reassessment of relationships within vicieae using electrophoretic and immunochemical techniques

An array of electrophoretic and immunochemical techniques was used to investigate legumins, vicilins, and albumins of seed storage proteins of pea (Pisum sativum), bean ( Vicia faba ), lentil ( Lens esculentum ) and chick pea (Cicer arientinum) to delimit the boundary of the tribe Vicieae and to clarify the systematic position of the genus Cicer. The band patterns of the legumins of these species were broadly similar in having bands at Mr 60,000 under non-reducing conditions and two sets of bands, at Mr approximately 40,000 and 20,000 under reducing conditions. And the band patterns of the vicilins were quit similar showing bands at Mr approximately 71,000 (convicilin) and 50,000 (vicilin). Serologically, the legumins of V. faba and L. esculentum gave a total identity with P. sativum legumin antiserum under non-reducing conditions, whereas the legumin of C. arientinum exhibited a partial identity, which was attributed to the failure of the low molecular sub-unit pair (Mr 33,000) to react with Pisum legumin antiserum. The vicilins of V. faba, L. esculentum and C. arientinum had a partial identity with vicilin of Pisum sativum. The electrophoretic patterns of V. faba, L. esculentum and C. arientinum albumins were markedly different. However, they gave a positive reaction with Pisum major albumin antiserum (Mr 25000). Immunochemically, the vicilin and legumin of Cicer were more related to those of Vicieae than to those of Phaseoleae, Glycineae, Cajaneae, Diocleae . Thus, the data presented in this work suggested the classification of Cicer under Vicieae rather than a separate tribe Cicerideae . Key Words : Immunodiffusion, legumins, tribe Vicieae, vicilins, Western blotting RESUME Une selection des techniques electrophoretique et immunochimiques etait utilisee pour examiner les legumines, vicilines, et albumines des proteines des graines de petit pois (Pisum sativum), haricot (Vicia faba), lentille (Lens esculentum) et culin (Cicer arientinum) pour limiter les frontieres de la tribu Vicieae et pour clarifier la position systematique de la variete Cicer. Les bandes prototypes des legumines de ces especes etaient generalement similaires en ayant des bandes a Mr 60.000 sous les conditions de non attenuation et deux groupes des bandes, a Mr 40.000 et 20.000 approximativement sous les conditions d\'attenuation. Et les bandes prototypes des vicilines etaient un peu similaires montrant des bandes a Mr 71.000 (conviciline) et 50.000 (viciline) approximativement. Serologiquement, les legumines de V. faba et L. esculentum ont donne une identite totale avec la legumine antiserum de P. sativum sous les conditions de non attenuation, tandis que les legumines de C. arientinum ont exhibe une identite partielle, laquelle, etait attribuee a l\'echec de la sous unite paire moleculaire basse (Mr 33.000) de reagir avec le Pisum sativum antiserum. Les vicilines de V. faba, L. esculentum et C. arientinum avaient une identite partielle avec la viciline de Pisum sativum. Les prototypes electrophoretiques des albumines de V. faba, L. esculentum et C. arientinum etaient clairement differents. Cependant, ils avaient donne une reaction positive avec le Pisum , albumine antiserum majeure (Mr 25.000). Les immunochimiques, la viciline, et legumine de Cicer etaient plus relatees a celles de Vicieae que celles de Phaseoleae, Glycineae, Cajaneae, et Diocleae. Ainsi, les donnees presentees dans ce travail suggerent la classification de Cicer sous Vicieae plutot qu\'une tribu Cicadaire separee. Mots Cles : Immunodiffusion, legumines, tribu Vicieae, vicilines, tache occidentale African Crop Science Journal Vol. 13 (1) 2005: 27-39