Lupin seed proteomics for quamtifying diversity and analysing food products

[Truncated abstract] The potential for using lupin grain as a food in its own right, and as an ingredient in food preparation, is increasing due to its high protein content and low level of antinutritional fractions. Lupin-enriched food has proven health benefits, with seed storage proteins the main contributors to these benefits. Quantification of lupin genetic diversity can increase efficiency in improvement of protein attributes through further breeding. This thesis focused on lupin seed proteomic analysis from different species, cultivars and baked products using a range of proteome technologies including Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Time-Of-Flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometric peptide sequencing. MALDI-TOF-MS is a useful high-throughput approach in producing protein profiles across lupin species and cultivars. A large number of species in the genus Lupinus with diversified morphological and biochemical characteristics provide genetic resources for protein improvement of commercial cultivars through breeding. This study recognised 630 polymorphic protein mass peaks across 35 genotypes (33 lupin genotypes from 19 species and two outgroup genotypes). Overall, comparison of seed protein profiles demonstrated notable diversity across the species analysed. MALDI-TOF protein profiles identified 19 species-specific protein mass peaks and 111 rare protein mass peaks common to only 2–3 species which are useful in marker-assisted breeding. The phylogenetic analysis clustered the studied species in different groups in broad agreement with their evolution and biochemical properties; two New World lupin species, L. mutabilis and L. succulentus, grouped into the cluster of smooth-seeded Old World species.