Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Kidney Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris l.) Genotypes Based on their Protein Profile

The phenotypes of organisms are expressions of their genotypes through proteins. Molecular marker like protein gives an indirect information about the structure of a plant. In this study, a total of ten (10) genotypes of kidney bean seeds consumed in Cameroon were studied to evaluate the genetic diversity and the systematic relationship that exist among them based on their buffer soluble protein profile using Native-PAGE and (SDS-PAGE) Sodium dedocyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the proteins in the grains ranged from 17-30 kDa. The data matrix from the Native-PAGE revealed an average polymorphism of 32.90 % with the highest similarity index 100 % between Glp190 (V-naine) and PH237 while R-4 (V-naine) and R-6 showed the lowest similarity index of 14.30. The average polymorphism from the SDS-PAGE was 0.00 % with highest similarity index, 56.50 % between PH237 and R-43. The lowest was 4.80 % between R-4 (V-naine) and PH237. From the cluster analysis of buffer soluble proteins in Native PAGE, it showed that PH237 and Glp 190 (V-naine) are closely related than others and the furthest from R-6 and R-43. While from the SDS-PAGE, R-43 and PH237 are closer than any other. This investigation showed a wide range of variation among varieties and that analyses of these varieties based on morphology is very much limited to drawing conclusions. However, the numerical analysis of seed storage protein profiles offers no answer concretely to the identity of the genotypes studied though it offers extra banding for kidney bean genotypes variation grown in Cameroon.