This project supports collaborative research by Dr. Serge Timasheff of Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, and Dr. V. Prakash of the Central Food Technology Research Institute in Mysore, India. The research is aimed at understanding the interaction between proteins and various ligands present in oil seeds such as sunflower, sesame, peanut, and cotton seeds. The presence of these ligands prevents the full utilization of the proteins in these seeds. In this research, isolation of high and low molecular weight proteins as well as isolation of constituant ligands will be completed. A study will be made of the interactions of pairs of individual proteins and individual ligands, to determine the results under different reaction conditions, and to understand the nature of the binding site stoichiometry, geometry and reaction kinetics. Various biophysical techniques will be used in the study including spectropolarimetry, analytical ultracentrifugation, fluoresence polarisation, affinity chromatography, and spectrophotometry. Scope: This research brings together a well-established U.S. scientist and a highly productive young researcher from India to work on a problem of basic scientific interest in the biophysics and biochemistry areas. In addition, this research has potentially significant benefits in improving the capabilities of many Less Developed Countries to meet their nutritional needs. The two scientists will complement each others' work to enhance the expected research output. This project meets the objectives of the U.S.-India Cooperative Science Program. Funding: This project is being funded under two grants as follows: Brandeis Univ. Centr Food Res. Inst. __________________ _____________________ FY U.S. $ Indian Curr $ Indian Currency $ ______ _____________ _________________ 90 9,001 2,941 23,529 91 6,231 2,941 42,947 92 6,230 2,941 25,259 93 24,671
