Comparison of plant cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

The electrophoretic mobilities of the cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins of several species of plants were compared using two-dimensional electrophoresis. The total number of proteins as well as the number of acidic and basic proteins in individual species varied markedly. Of the species examined, Triticum aestivum had the highest number of basic cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins and Hordeum vulgare had less than half as many. However, marked similarities were noted in the electrophoretic mobilities of many of the proteins, especially for wheat, rye, and barley and for peas and beans. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the numbers of basic proteins in the species and their chromosome number.