Genetic Diversity of Seed Storage Protein in Selected Melastomataceae and Fagaceae from Tasik Kenyir

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study on genetic diversity from seed storage proteins of six species of plants from two families using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The two families were; Melastomataceae (Senduduk); Melastoma malabathricum, Clidemia hirta and Lijndenia laurina and Fagaceae (Berangan, chesnut or timber); Lithocarpus wallichianus, Castanopsis lucida and Castanopsis schefferiana. The total numbers of polypeptide bands of Melastomataceae which resolved in 14% gel SDS were 33 bands, where three bands (9%) were monomorphic, while 30 bands (91%) were polymorphic with the size ranging from 12.89 to 95.24 kDa. In Fagaceae a total of 55 polypeptides bands were produced. Out of these one band (2%) was monomorphic among all three species and 54 (98%) were polymorphic. Cluster analysis for seed storage protein clearly distinguished between six species. Seed storage protein profiling of Melastomatecea and Fagaceae from this study highlighted a high degree of genetic diversity within the families. The high polymorphism shown by each family revealed that all the species are genetically variable. Therefore, it is recommended that the species should be conserved in order to establish in their natural habitat.