The maize (Zea mays L.) floury-2 (fl2) mutation is associated with a general decrease in storage protein synthesis, altered protein body morphology, and the synthesis of a novel 24-kD alpha-zein storage protein. Unlike storage proteins in normal kernels and the majority of storage proteins in fl2 kernels, the 24-kD alpha-zein contains a signal peptide that would normally be removed during prote...

Rheological studies were carried out on solutions of zein in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), where the specific lot of zein, concentration, time, and temperature were varied. DMF is a good solvent for zein, giving clear, relatively low viscosity solutions. It was found that all of the zein solutions behaved in a non-Newtonian fashion. At high concentration and elevated temperature, zein solutions ...

This paper reports the fabrication of a biodegradable microfluidic device based on zein, a prolamin protein derived from corn. Micro-chambers and micro-channels features have been replicated on zein films using a stereo lithography master. Enclosed zein microfluidic devices are made by bonding the zein films with microfluidic features to glass substrates using a simple vapor-deposition method. ...

Zein-based nano/microparticles have been demonstrated to be promising carrier systems for both the food industry and biomedical applications. However, the fabrication of size-controlled zein particles has been a challenging issue. In this study, a modified anti-solvent precipitation method was developed, and the effects of various factors, such as mixing method, solvent/anti-solvent ratio, temp...

Zeins are seed storage proteins that form accretions called protein bodies in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of maize endosperm cells. Four types of zeins, a, p, y , and 6, aggregate in a distinctive spatial pattern within the protein body. We created transgenic tobacco plants expressing a-zein, y-zein, or both to examine the interactions between these proteins leading to the formation of prot...

Zein is the major storage protein of corn and comprises :45–50% of the protein in corn. It was first identified in 1897, based on its solubility in aqueous alcohol solutions. Zein isolate is not used directly for human consumption due to its negative nitrogen balance and poor solubility in water. Current zein manufacture is limited to :500 tonnes per year from corn gluten meal. Zein sells for :...

The optimum conditions for the fabrication of zein/Ag composite nanoparticles from ethanol/H₂O cosolvents using electrospinning and the properties of the composite were investigated. The zein/Ag nanoparticles were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis. The antibacterial act...

Zein is a water-insoluble polymer from maize seeds that has been widely used to produce carrier particles for the delivery of therapeutic molecules. We encapsulated a recombinant model vaccine antigen in newly formed zein bodies in planta by generating a fusion construct comprising the ectodomain of hemagglutinin subtype 5 and the N-terminal part of γ-zein. The chimeric protein was transiently ...

Zein is the alcohol soluble protein of corn. Its secondary structure was investigated by circular dichroism and by X-ray scattering measurements. Both studies considered that the spatial-structure model for zein contains nine successive helical segments folded upon each other in an anti-parallel fashion, linked at each end by glutamine-rich turns or loops and stabilized by hydrogen bonds. The g...

S INCE there is an enormous production of corn in the United States, a complete knowledge of its nutritive value is of scientific interest and may be of great economic importance. Yellow dent corn is too low in protein and its protein is too deficient in essential amino acids, especially lysine and tryptophane, to be fed most efficiently to growing pigs in drylot without a good protein suppleme...