Accumulation pattern of arachin and its subunits in maturation of groundnut seeds

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Abstract
The accumulation pattern of arachin and its subunits in growing groundnuts was investigated. Soluble proteins were extracted from the kernels at twelve different stages of maturation (4–16 weeks after pegging). Fractionation showed arachin, conarachin II, 5S and 2S protein components with sucrose gradient centrifugation. Ten weeks after pegging, only 35% of the maximum amount of arachin had accumulated, whereas conarachin II was 85%, the 5S component 89%, and the 2S component 76%. Arachin, however, increased rapidly in the later stage of maturation. No change in the subunit ratio in arachin during seed growth was observed on the patterns of sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis and gel isoelectric focusing in the presence of urea. The ratio of the arachin subunits contained in urea-extractable fraction of the kernels was constant throughout seed development and was consistent with the subunit ratio in arachin. On the other hand, the arachin subunits in the free forms, if any, accounted for less than 1% of the associated arachin subunits. Probably, the arachin subunits synthesized in equimoles are associated into arachin without individual deposition and are accumulated as arachin associates in growing seeds.

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