EXTRACTION 331 



1. Proteoses, albumins, and some globulins are soluble in 

 water. 



2. Globulins, together with most of the proteins soluble in 

 water, dissolve in 10 per cent sodium chloride. 



3. Prolamins are soluble in alcohol (70 to 90 per cent). 



4. Glutelins and prolamins dissolve in dilute acid and in 

 dilute alkali. 



These facts are made use of in the extraction of the sub- 

 stances in question from vegetable tissues such as seeds, which 

 may contain several proteins ; and although the products so 

 obtained are anything but pure, a brief outline of the method 

 may be given. The separation of the proteins removed by 

 these means from the seed by a given solvent is a very lengthy 

 and tiresome process, and the details must be sought for 

 elsewhere.* 



Before proceeding with the extraction, the material must 

 be ground up as finely as possible, in order that all the cells 

 may be broken ; if needs be, the tissue must be carefully dried 

 beforehand, but too high a temperature must not be used. 



In all cases the initial procedure is much the same ; the 

 main point to be observed, as in everything else, is thorough- 

 ness. The powdered material is well mixed with the solvent, 

 which is allowed to act for some time ; the mixture should be 

 well shaken periodically. The solid is then filtered off and 

 well washed with fresh solvent, and is again treated until the 

 extract gives no protein reaction. The temperature may be 

 raised during the extraction, but it should not be high enough 

 to alter the proteins. If the extraction, especially with aqueous 

 solvents, be prolonged, it may be necessary to add a little 

 antiseptic, such as chloroform, in order to stop bacterial 

 action. 



When it is desired to make successive extracts, in cases 

 such as seeds where several proteins may be present, the order 

 may be water, 10 per cent sodium chloride, alkali (t to -2 per 

 cent caustic potash or -5 to i per cent sodium carbonate), and 

 finally alcohol (70 to 80 per cent). 



The initial extraction may be made with salt solution, the 

 albumins being afterwards separated from the globulins, and 



* See Osborne: "The Vegetable Proteins," London, igog, on whose ac- 

 count the following is based. For a method for the preparation of plant globu- 

 lins, see Reeves: " Biochem. Joum.," 1915, 9, 508. 



