A metallomics approach discovers selenium-containing proteins in selenium-enriched soybean

Anal Bioanal Chem. 2012 May;403(5):1311-21. doi: 10.1007/s00216-012-5948-0. Epub 2012 Mar 30.

Abstract

Our previous study found that high-molecular-weight selenium (Se) species make up 82% of the total Se in the bean of Se-enriched soybean plants (Chan et al. 2010, Metallomics, 2(2): p. 147-153). The Se species have been commonly seen in other plants in addition to soybean, but their identities remain unresolved. The present study employs a multi-technique metallomics approach to characterize the proteins containing Se in the beans of Se-enriched soybean plants. Two main categories of proteins, maturation proteins and protease inhibitors, were found in Se-containing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fractions. The proteins were screened by two-dimensional HPLC-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, size-exclusion chromatography, and anion-exchange chromatography, and the Se-containing fractions were then identified by peptide mapping using HPLC-Chip-electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry. Based on the belief that Se goes into proteins through non-specific incorporation, a new method was designed and applied for the Se-containing peptide identification. The Se-containing peptide KSDQSSSYDDDEYSKPCCDLCMCTRS, part of the sequence of protein Bowman-Birk proteinase isoinhibitor (Glycine max), was found in one of the Se-containing fractions. The nutritional value of the Se-containing proteins in Se-enriched soybeans will be an interesting topic for the future studies.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods*
  • Glycine max / chemistry*
  • Glycine max / metabolism
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Selenium / analysis*
  • Selenium / metabolism

Substances

  • Plant Proteins
  • Selenium