Electrophoretic characterization in some species of Cassia sensu lato seed proteins and its systematic implications.

Abstract

Seed protein profiles produced by SDS-PAGE analysis, molecular mass (Mr) in kilo-Daltons (kDa) of their polypeptide subunits and the morphological attributes were recorded in 19 species of Cassia s.l. grown in Egypt. Phenetic relationships were established using UPGMA-clustering analyses based on each of the seed protein and morphological characters separately, and in combination by using the programs NTSYS-pc version 2.2. The produced data were compared by measuring each of the phenograms distortion; from their relevant data matrices; and association to each other based on their cophenetic correlation coefficients. The produced protein profiles were species specific; consistent with the morphological attributes; the species Cassia alata, C. didymobotrya, C. seiamea, C. suratensis, C. tora, C. spectabilis, C. bacillaris, C. candolleana, C. italica, C. senna, C. occidentalis, C. sophera, C. artemisioides and C. glauca were clustered in group A (genus Senna), whereas C. fistula, C. javanica, C. nodosa, C. grandis and C. renigra were clustered in the group B (genus Cassia sensu stricto). The interspecific relationships of the studied species were assessed; the close affinity and grouping each of C. artemisioides & C. glauca; C. sophera & C. occidentalis and C. italica & C. senna were compatible with their placement in sections Psilorhegma, Oncolobium and Chamaesenna, respectively, and the heterogeneity of group A (genus Senna) was further confirmed.