Biological activities of Vicilin (7S globulins protein) from African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) (Hochst. Ex A. Rich.) Harms) seeds

Abstract

The biological activities of vicilin (7S) protein found among the legumes; Common bean, peas, lentils and African yam bean suggest vicilin may be of great importance in the growth and development of seeds. African yam bean is a crop, food and animal feed grown in Sub-Saharan African covering countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and some part of Central and Equatorial Guinea. In Nigeria, the crop is cultivated and consumed mostly in the South-West, South-South, and North-Central regions. In this regions, the crop is cultivated not as a main crop, but cultivate for the purpose of bridging the hunger gap between planting and harvesting time of the major crops. The crop provides the population with protein and calories because of its rich protein and amino acid content which are appropriate for human consumption. Because of their rich protein, the crop is now being used as supplementary protein sources, but the functionalities and potentials of the vicilin from the crop is not well understood. Vicilin, a storage protein found in plants particularly seeds helps to protects plants from disease attacks including having nutriceutical, pharmaceutical and biomaterial potentials. Food proteins are highly complex molecules with diverse functions and potentials. Legume proteins are categorized into Glutenin, Albumins, Prolamins, and Globulin. This review paper summarizes the background knowledge of African yam bean including the activities of the vicilin protein from the plant.