Phyto-agglutinin, total proteins and amino assimilating enzymatic activity of indigeneous chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars

Abstract

Biochemical studies were carried out with in vitro micropropagated plantlets of two indigenous cultivars of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), KK-1 and Hassan-2K, where extract from shoots, leaves, roots, and reproductive organs were determined for human erythrocyte agglutination (by mixing the lectin containing extract 1:1 with a 2% erythrocyte suspension), protein profiling and the amino assimilating (glutamine synthetase) enzymatic activity. Both of KK-1 and Hassan-2K cultivars extract showed highly phyto-agglutination of human erythrocytes with reproductive organs and other tissues, which represents the presence of potent lectins (phyto-agglutinin). The amino assimilating enzymatic activity of green leaves of Hasan-2K was found higher (3.545 GS μmol.gfw^-1.min^-1) as compared to KK-1 (2.873 GS μmol.gfw^-1.min^-1). Protein content profile showed variation in bulk proteins of various tissues, higher (12.634 μg/gfw) and (2.987 μg/gfw) in reproductive organs of KK-1 and Hasan-2K, respectively.

Key words: Chickpea, glutamine synthetase, glyco-protein, lectin, phyto-agglutinin.