THE EXTRACTION, COMPOSITION AND INTRA‐CELLULAR DISTRIBUTION OF PROTEIN IN EARLY MAIZE GRAINS FROM AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE IN N.E. ARIZONA

Abstract

SUMMARYMaize grains from an archaeological site in N.E. Arizona have been examined by light microscopy and electron microscopy. Their endosperm tissue was intact and was similar to that of modern maize although some of the features seen in other non‐viable seeds were present; the embryos, however, were discoloured and damaged. Protein has been extracted from both endosperm and embryos although only a small quantity was extracted from the latter. The protein sub‐unit profiles of these extracts and of storage protein fractions prepared by serial extraction of endosperm meal in salt, alcohol and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) solutions have been determined after electrophoresis in SDS‐acrylamide gels. The data obtained indicate that zein and glutelins similar to modern maize proteins were the major storage proteins but that their proportions differed to those in modern maizes; these conclusions are supported by the amino acid composition of the wholse seed meal. It is suggested that these procedures may be applicable to other archaeological samples of seeds including those of other species and that the data so obtained may be of use in cultural studies and in botanical studies of crop plant origins and evolution.