The opaque2 (o2) modifier genes convert the soft endosperm of an o2 mutant to a hard, vitreous phenotype. The primary biochemical change associated with the expression of these genes is a two- to threefold increase in synthesis of the 27-kD gamma-zein storage protein. To investigate the mechanism of modifier gene activity, we examined the level of gamma-zein mRNA and protein synthesis during th...

The opaque2 (02) modifier genes convert the soft endosperm of an 02 mutant to a hard, vitreous phenotype. The primary biochemical change associated with the expression of these genes is a twoto threefold increase in synthesis of the 27-kD y-zein storage protein. To investigate the mechanism of modifier gene activity, we examined the level of y-zein mRNA and protein synthesis during the early st...

Cereal Chern. 65(3):215-222 Zein, the major alcohol-soluble protein of corn endosperm, was extracted with 55% 2-propanol. It was then fractionated by preparative reversed-phase (CIs) high-performance liquid chromatography (RPH PLC) with an acetonitrile-triOuoroacetic acid gradient. From 15 to 17 peaks resulted for native or reduced and alkylated (R-A) zeins. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamid...

A cell-free, mRNA-dependent system has been developed for the translation and processing of zein preproteins. A rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)-enriched fraction, isolated by sucrose density gradients, can be treated with micrococcal nuclease to destroy endogenous messages. When these membranes are added to a wheat germ protein-synthesizing system together with zein mRNA, synthesis and proces...

In recent years, food proteins with bioactivity have been studied for cancer treatment. Zein peptides have shown an important set of bioactivities. This work compares the cytotoxic activity of zein hydrolyzed, extracted from four Zea species: teosinte, native, hybrid, and transgenic (Teo, Nat, Hyb, and HT) in a hepatic cell culture. Zein fraction was extracted, quantified, and hydrolyzed. Antio...

Protein–polysaccharide biopolymer particles composed of potential acrylamide inhibitors, including zein, chitosan, alginate, and pectin, were used for mitigation in this study. The synergistic effect zein polysaccharides complex was hypothesized to inhibit formation at high temperature. A reaction model utilizing a glucose asparagine solution heated 170 °C 30 min heating block implemented. Zein...

Zein can be extracted from maize (Zea mays) using ethanol solutions, and recovered from the extract by diluting with water. Dilution to 40% ethanol will precipitate a mixture of zein and maize lipid with 15% lipid. For possible zein applications, such as film production, purer zein is required. Most of the lipid can be removed from the precipitate by selective re-extraction with hexane or ethan...

We have isolated a gene coding for a sulfur-rich zein protein from a maize genomic library. The nucleotide sequence of this gene predicts a protein composed of 180 amino acids, including a 20-amino acid signal peptide. As is true of other zeins, there are no intervening sequences in the gene. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of this gene with that of a homologous cDNA clone revealed only a...

L-Lysine was microencapsulated by the spray-dry met.hod for improvement of the balance of alllino acids in ruminants. The rumen-bypm;s lllicrocCljJsulc was jJrqmn~d using zein or shellac as an outer coat.ing agcnt [or protection against microbial degradation in the rumen. L-Lysine was generated with a .yield of ,')0% in casp of zein microcapsules and :3:3% in shellac microcapsules and a mean pa...

opaque-2 (o2) is a regulatory locus in maize that plays an essential role in controlling the expression of genes encoding the 22-kD zein proteins. Through DNase I footprinting and DNA binding analyses, we have identified the binding site for the O2 protein (O2) in the promoter of 22-kD zein genes. The sequence in the 22-kD zein gene promoter that is recognized by O2 is similar to the target sit...