Proteomics study in Pueraria mirifica

Proteomics are commonly used in direct protein study of tissues, cells and living organisms for functional component analysis. This technique is widely applied in biological science because it provides more information on living systems than the genomics approach. Proteomics are applied by researchers for medical proteomics, pharmaceutical proteomics and plant proteomics. The principles of proteomics comprise of 4 main steps; protein separation, protein identification, protein quantitative and protein analysis. Application of this technique in soybean (Glycine max) has established reference map in nodule cytosol in which 69 glycolysis enzymes has been found [1]. In soybean leaf, a total of 71 unique proteins are identified [2]. High levels of flavonoids in soybean leaf are confirmed to be sensitive to UV-B at the proteomics level [3]. Since very few proteomics study is established in herbal plants, we thus will focus on the proteomics study of Pueraria mirifica Airy Shaw & Suvatab. or „White Kwao-Krua“, an indigenous Thai medicinal plant is traditionally consumed for the treatment of menopausal symptoms belong to legume family the same as soy bean. The plant phytoestrogens and their estrogenic activity have long been investigated. This will enable an investigation into the key proteins related with metabolite production in the Thai herbal plant tissues.

Acknowledgement: Thailand Research Fund DBG5180025, Department of Biology, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Chulabhorn Research Institute

References: 1. Oehrle NW, Sarma AD, Waters JK, Emerich DW (2008) Phytochemistry 69: 2426–2438.

2. Xu C, Garrett WM, Sullivan J, Caperna T., Natarajan S (2006) Phytochemistry 67: 2431–2440.

3. Xu C, Sullivan J, Garrett WM, Caperna TJ, Natarajan S (2008) Phytochemistry 69: 38–48.