Variation and inheritance of the arachin polypeptides of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.).

Variation in the arachin polypeptides of groundnut genotypes was observed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Three regions could be observed on the electropherogram. Region 1, corresponding to conarachin, did not show any variation; region 2, consisting of arachin acidic subunits, showed variation; region 3, containing the arachin basic subunits, did not show any variation. There are four varietal classes of arachin polypeptide patterns: class A comprised three acidic subunits of arachin of molecular weights 47.5, 45.1 and 42.6 kd and a basic subunit of 21.4 kd; class B, with three acidic subunits of molecular weights 47.5, 45.1 and 41.2 kd and a basic subunit of 21.4 kd; class C of an additive pattern of class A and class B; class D, of two acidic polypeptides of 47.5, 45.1 kd and the basic 21.4 kd subunit. Of the 90 genotypes studied, 73% belong to class A, 15% to class B and 6% each to class C and D. Analysis of F2 seeds from a cross between class A and class B genotypes showed that the two polypeptides (42.6 kd and 41.2 kd) are coded by nonallelic genes and also revealed that class C and class D patterns arose as a result of hybridisation between class A and class B. A. monticola, the progenitor of A. hypogaea, showed a pattern similar to the additive pattern of class A and class B while some diploid Arachis species had the 41.2 kd polypeptide. Based on arachin polypeptide patterns the probable origin of A. hypogaea has been suggested.