Comparative electrophoretic studies of proteins and enzymes of some Brassica species

Summary A considerable amount of variation with respect to soluble proteins and esterase isoenzyme pattern was observed between different species of Brassica. Naturally occurring amphidiploids had comparable proteins and isoenzyme patterns to either one or both of the parental species. The species relationship based on percentage homology of protein and esterase bands revealed that B. nigra and B. campestris are the parental species of B. carinata and not B. nigra and B. oleracea, as suggested on the basis of cytological studies. Elimination of a pair of chromosomes might have resulted into 2n=34 in the case of B. carinata. Further studies are needed to confirm this view. The peroxidase and catalase isoenzyme patterns did not show much variation in different species and amphidiploids.