Seed to seed variation of proteins from yellow pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Authors: Smith, Brennan; TAGHVAEI, MOSTAFA - University Of Idaho; SADEGHI, ROHOLLAH - University Of Idaho

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/26/2022
Publication Date: 8/4/2022
Citation: Taghvaei M, Sadeghi R, Smith B. 2022. Seed to seed variation of proteins of the yellow pea (Pisum sativum L.). PLoS ONE 17(8): e0271887.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271887
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271887

Interpretive Summary: Variability of protein isolates and concentrates derived from yellow peas is hindering their use by the food industry. Previous studies have explored varietal differences and the effects of processing on the physiochemical properties of these proteins. In this study, it was found that protein composition and quality varied from one seed to the next for seeds of the same variety grown at the same location. This variability was found to not be consistently correlated to the physical characteristics of the whole seeds and cannot be sorted by traditional means to control for biochemical variability. The authors hypothesize that environmental factors and degree of determinacy may be leading to the observed seed to seed variability.

Technical Abstract: The existing variation among pea protein isolates’ functionality limits their application in food formulations. The source and extent of variations among yellow pea protein profiles was assessed in 10 single seeds of two varieties with different size, weight, and shape (smooth and dimpled). A new approach was developed to analyze proteins of yellow pea combining three analytical methods of size exclusion chromatography (SEC), reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and microfluidic SDS-PAGE, to achieve the highest separation resolution. A high variation of protein concentration was observed not only between varieties, but also among seeds of the same variety. Vicilin to legumin ratio was between 2.72-4.19, and 1.70-2.22 among the individual seeds of AC Agassiz and CDC Saffron varieties, respectively. The existing variations among different varieties of peas that is shown in previous studies could be more related to environmental and maturity factors, rather than genetics and variety. While the amount of some proteins classes in the AC Agassiz variety correlated with seeds’ size and weight, such correlations were not observed in the CDC Saffron variety.