Storage protein

Storage proteins are proteins in an organism, which constitute a food source for its growth ( reserve substances ). Most are meant by the term vegetable proteins that are found in large amounts in seeds and serve as an amino acid source for the germinating plant. In a broader sense also iron storage proteins, such as ferritin can also be referred to as storage proteins. Plant storage proteins are protein mixtures and can act as allergens for some people.

Storage proteins have enormous agricultural significance, since on the one hand, as an animal feed constitute the basis for the protein portion of the diet of pets, and thus allow a portion of the dietary proteins in humans. On the other hand, they themselves serve as food for humans.

The storage proteins are collected from the adult plant either in vacuoles or free in the cytosol of endosperm cells as insoluble crystals ( so-called the aleurone ). At the same time the endosperm moisture is removed. Therefore, the storage proteins are again only after moistening available: at this time, but the seed is already separated from the mother plant and can only fall back on.

A useful classification of plant storage proteins is due to their solubility in salt-free or salt-containing water: albumins and globulins dissolve well, prolamins only in 60-80 % ethanol and glutelins only in acid.