The storage protein of the aerial tuber of Dioscorea bulbifera was purified and its physicochemical, enzymatic and molecular properties determined with a view to comparing its functionality and genetic relatedness with other storage proteins. The purified protein had molecular weight of 21 kDa. The protein showed carbonic anhydrase, trypsin inhibitory, dehydroascorbate reductase and monodehydroascorbate reductase activities. Amplifications with polymerase chain reactions resulted in the detection of two genes encoding the storage protein. The deduced amino acid sequence of the shorter and larger genes had homologies with the storage proteins of members of the Dioscorea family. The study concluded that the storage protein of the aerial tuber of D. bulbifera had similar properties with those of other Dioscorea species and may be suitable for development as functional food.

中文翻译：

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气生块茎薯蓣贮藏蛋白的理化、酶学和分子特征。


纯化了薯蓣地上块茎的贮藏蛋白，并测定了其理化、酶学和分子特性，以比较其与其他贮藏蛋白的功能和遗传相关性。纯化的蛋白质的分子量为21 kDa。该蛋白质显示碳酸酐酶、胰蛋白酶抑制、脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶和单脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶活性。聚合酶链反应扩增导致检测到编码储存蛋白的两个基因。推导的较短和较大基因的氨基酸序列与薯蓣科成员的储存蛋白具有同源性。该研究得出结论，球茎块茎的贮藏蛋白与其他薯蓣属物种的贮藏蛋白具有相似的特性，可能适合开发为功能性食品。