Analysis of water-soluble proteins from barley by ion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography

Abstract

The water-soluble proteins (WSP) from 13 varieties of barley were analysed by ion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography (IE-HPLC) on a non-porous anion-exchange column. The method was rapid, allowing detection of 5 or more major protein peaks in less than 10 minutes. The combination of retention times and peak areas of the five main peaks could be used to identify barley varieties. The WSP content increased with increasing total nitrogen content. However, the amount of WSP in different barley varieties varied greatly. Malting and feed barleys did not show consistent differences in total WSP but the shape of the profile was significantly different for malting and feed varieties. Analysis of water soluble proteins could have value in research associated with crop improvement programmes and in industry variety assessment. The method is quicker and simpler than those used for the analysis of alcohol-soluble proteins.