Abstract
The Gy2 and Gy4 genes encoding glycinin subunits were molecularly manipulated and modified to test the possibility of increasing the nutritional value of soybean seed proteins. With the respective recombinant DNAs (pSP65/G2HG4, pSP65/G4HG2, pSP65/248Metl, pSP65/248Met2,3, and pSP65/248Metl,2,3), the in vitro translation was used to produce (i) chimeric proteins consisting of reciprocally exchanged acidic and basic domains of the G2 and G4 subunits, and (ii) G4 point mutants with increased number of methionine residues. The ability of the recombinant proteins to assemble into proper quaternary structures was inspected by sucrose gradient fractionation. The produced data could provide valuable clues for the potential improvement of the genetically modified crops.