Deoxyribonucleic Acid, Ribonucleic Acid, Protein and Uncombined Amino Acid Content of Legume Seeds During Embryogeny

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Abstract
The nucleic acid, protein and uncombined amino acid content of seeds of soya-bean (Glycine max L. Merr.), garden pea (Pisum sativum L.), kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) were measured at various times during seed formation in an effort to understand why the soya-bean has nearly twice as much protein as the other legume seeds. In all these species the concentration of deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid and uncombined amino acids decreased during seed formation. The protein level of kidney bean was relatively constant during development whereas the protein levels of pea, peanut and soya-bean increased during development. The protein content of the soya-bean increased throughout development whereas the protein increase in peanut took place early and that in pea took place later in development. The ratio of protein to ribonucleic acid was highest in peanut, less in soya-bean, and lowest in pea and kidney bean. Similarly, the ratio of protein to deoxyribonucleic acid was higher in kidney bean than in soya-bean. Soya-beans had a lower amino acid content than any of the other seeds at all stages of development. These results indicate that neither total deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid nor uncombined amino acid content is responsible for the higher protein content of soya-beans.

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