A Pepsin-Resistant 20 kDa Protein Found in Red Kidney Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Identified as Basic Subunit of Legumin

Abstract

The digestibility of proteins in red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was examined by in vitro pepsin assay. A 20-kDa polypeptide that remained highly stable after heat processing was identified as a basic subunit of legumin. The results of a monobromobimane (mBBr) labeling test implied that this protein contained rigid intramolecular disulfide bonds, which might contribute to pepsin resistance.