Buckwheat is one of the traditional crops and has become a renewed target of interest or a popular crop as a healthy foodstuff, because it is a good source of cereal protein which is rich with essential amino acids. However, what is critical to our health is that buckwheat contains proteins which cause a allergy. Buckwheat allergy resulting from ingestion is caused by the storage proteins in the grain with molecular weights ranging from 15, 22, 35, 39 and 50 kDa proteins of the inner fractions to low, and there were clear differences in the protein compositions between the inner and outer buckwheat flour fractions. A major allergenic protein of buckwheat is Fag e 1 with molecular weight 22 kDa (BW22KD). Buckwheat allergy is an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitive response capable of causing anaphylactic shock. Buckwheat seeds were dissected to endosperm and embryo. From each fraction we extracted proteins and analyzed extracts by SDS-PAGE and 2-DE. On electrophoregrams of endosperm proteins, 6 intense bands were detected. The most intense corresponded to molecular weights ranging from 54 to 65 kDa. These proteins have been reported not to be allergenic. We show here that the allergenic buckwheat seed proteins are found only among embryo proteins. No allergenic proteins were found in the buckwheat endosperm. The results presented here lead to the proposal that patients with hypersensitivity to buckwheat flour should use only fine flour from buckwheat endosperm, as this fraction contains no allergenic proteins. At present, specific protein spots will be selected and in-gel digested for MALDI-TOF-TOF/MS analysis.

To facilitate the introgression of F. esculentum into the traits of F. homotropicum, several accessions of the hybrids between these two species were pollinated with F. esculentum as the recurrent parent. In vitro embryo rescue was performed to increase the recovery of backcross progenies. The F2 generation was more amenable than F1 hybrids to produce backcross progenies. The F1 hybrids were backcrossed twice with common buckwheat (pin-type F. esculentum, recurrent backcrossing). Also, alternate backcrosses with common buckwheat and F. homotropicum (congruity backcrossing) were carried out. Pollen tube growth of BCF1 x F. esculentum (thrum) and F. homotropicum x BCF1 was disturbed penetration exceeded for all initial interspecific hybrids, and its requirement was proportionally lower when the common buckwheat used as the recurrent parent and as the last parent of congruity hybrids. Effects of both common buckwheat and F. homotropicum on seed success rate for hybridization were observed. Growth of hybrid embryos before rescue, regeneration of mature hybrids all increased recurrent and congruity backcrosses, inter-crosses between F1 plants and selected fertile plants of the second congruity backcrosses.

This study was conducted to obtain basic information on mainstem, branch and leaf characteristics related to canopy for development of high yielding cultivar using 70 Korean soybean cultivars developed from 1913 to 2000. Variations of canopy width, branch length, and canopy width/length ratio were higher compared to other characteristics among 12 mainstem and branch characters. Variations of petiole angle, leaflet width/length ratio and compound leaf dry weight were higher than other characteristics among eight leaf characters related to plant canopy. Three classifications of soybean cultivars were used based on usage: I)soy sauce and tofu, II)bean sprout, and III)cooking with rice. Canopy width/length ratio was higher in group III, cooking with rice than group I, soy sauce and tofu, and group II, bean sprout, and there was no difference between the two, group I and group II. The total branch length/main stem height ratio was higher in group II, bean sprout and group III, cooking with rice than group I, soy sauce and tofu. Mainstem and branch characteristics related to plant canopy were classified into four groups by ratio of canopy width/length and total branch length/main stem length, respectively. Soybean cultivars with narrow canopy and high dependence of mainstem were Danweonkong, Keumkangkong, Shelby, and Shinpaldalkong. Soybean cultivars with broad canopy and high dependence of mainstem were Kanglim, Keumkangdaelip, and Jinyulkong, and a cultivar with broad canopy and high dependence of branch were Geomjeongkong 2. Leaflet length/width ratio was lowest in cooking with rice and there was no difference between soy sauce and tofu and bean sprout. Compound leaf area was largest in cooking with rice and smallest in bean sprout. Leaf petiole length was short in bean sprout and there was no difference between soy sauce and tofu and bean sprout. Leaf petiole angle was highest in cooking with rice and lowest in bean sprout. Leaf type was classified into four groups based on leaflet width/length ratio and compound leaf area, respectivly. Buseok and Taekwangkong had an oval leaflet and largest area of compound leaf. Eunhakong and Sohokong had extreme narrow leaflet and smallest area of compound leaf. Leaf petiole type was classified into three and four groups based on leaf petiole length and angle, respectively. A soybean cultivar with the shortest petiole length and smallest petiole angle was Eunhakong and cultivars with short petiole length and large petiole angle were Alchankong, Muhankong, and Pureunkong. A soybean cultivar with long petiole length and small petiole angle was Sinpaldalkong 2. Among a total of 70 Korean soybean cultivars, Eunhakong had an extreme narrow type in leaf, smallest compound leaf area, shortest petiole length, and smallest petiole angle of compound leaf.

An attempt was made to link rice embryo proteins to DNA sequences and to understand their functions. One hundred of the 700 spots detected on the embryo 2-DE gels were microsequenced. Of these, 28% of the embryo proteins were matched to DNA sequences with known functions, but 72% of the proteins were unknown in functions as previously reported (Woo et al. 2002). In addition, twenty-four protein spots with 100% of homology and nine with over 80% were matched to ESTs (expressed sequence tags) after expanding the amino acid sequences of the protein spots by Database searches using the available rice EST databases at the NCBI (http://www/ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) and DDBJ (http://www.ddbj.nig.ac.jp/). The chromosomal location of some proteins were also obtained from the rice genetic map provided by Japanese Rice Genome Research Program (http://rgp.dna.affrc.go.jp). The DNA sequence databases including EST have been reported for rice (Oryza sativa L.) now provides whole or partial gene sequence, and recent advances in protein characterization allow the linking proteins to DNA sequences in the functional analysis. This work shows that proteome analysis could be a useful tool strategy to link sequence information and to functional genomics.