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...

Biobased sprayable mulch (BSM) films are a potential alternative to herbicides, polyethylene plastic film, and hand weeding for specialty crops. We developed series of BSM using locally available biomaterials [including corn ( Zea mays ) starch, glycerol, keratin hydrolysate, gluten meal, zein, eggshells, isolated soy Glycine max protein] tested their effects on weeds crop yield during total se...

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...

Procedures were developed to produce edible wheat, gluten-based films. A film was produced as a standard. Five additional films were then produced by modifying the initial film-forming solution. Modifications included changing the plasticizer, partially substituting wheat gluten with soy protein isolate and corn zein, and incorporating two acetylated monoglyceride products. All films were chara...

We studied three mutations, opaque-2 (o2), opaque-7 (o7), and floury-2(fI2), each of which causes a depression in zein synthesis. We examined the processing efficiencies of the rough endoplasmic reticulum membranes in vitro, the levels of RNA transcription using cloned zein probes, and the genomic organization of the zein sequences as possible sites for the genetic defects. The results obtained...

Maize storage proteins synthesized in oocytes were compartmentalized in membrane vesicles because they were resistant to hydrolysis by protease, unless detergent was present. The site of storage protein deposition within the oocyte was determined by subcellular fractionation. Optimal separation of oocyte membranes and organelles was obtained when EDTA and high concentrations of NaCl were includ...

Prolamin-containing protein bodies in maize endosperm are composed of four different polypeptides, the alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-zeins. The spatial organization of zeins within the protein body, as well as interactions between them, suggests that the localized synthesis of gamma-zeins could initiate and target protein body formation at specific regions of the rough endoplasmic reticulum....