Mungbean seeds are often attacked by bruchid insects causing serious damage to the grain during storage. The susceptible/resistant characteristics of mungbean against bruchids have been investigated at the protein level. Seeds of the susceptible cultivar Osaka-ryokuto and the resistant near-isogenic line BC20 were collected at 5, 9, 13, 17, 21 and 23 days after flowering. Crude, cytosol and membrane protein fractions were extracted from the seeds for twodimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. In Osaka-ryokuto six proteins were found in higher amounts compared to BC20 in the crude protein extract. Some of these proteins were homologous to legumin B and liguleless1. And in BC20 one unique protein, homologous to SalF1R, was identified. In the subcellular protein fractions, nine unique proteins were identified in BC20, seven in the cytosol and two in the membrane fractions. These proteins were homologous to chitinase, alanine aminotransferase in membrane, and SalF1R, β-1,3- glucanase, protein phosphatase 2A, peroxidase BP 2A, provicilin and canavalin in the cytosol fractions. Previous findings of many researchers reveal that these are mainly defence-related proteins. Thus, it is suggested that the above proteins may play a role in maintaining the resistance of line BC20.

If proteins are the functional units of almost all biological processes, the proteome represents the set of proteins expressed in a cell at a given time and for given conditions. Because muscle is mainly composed of water and proteins, it seems evident that proteome analysis can give much information on structures and functions of proteins involved in several mechanisms which determine meat quality. This paper aims to present the most classical techniques (i.e. sample preparation and protein solubilisation, protein separation by 2-DE or SDS-Page, protein detection and quantification, computer analysis of 2DE-pattern and finally protein identification) that are currently applied to analyse the proteome.

Proteomic study related to meat quality are somewhat limited, especially in poultry, but some results are presented to illustrate how proteomic approaches can bring a new point of view on new or already known meat quality problems. It is the case in mammals where meat tenderness had been given a new highlight with proteomic study but also in turkeys where new hypothesis for explaining PSE meat syndrome can be developed from proteomic analysis. Some studies have also reported interesting results in muscle growth and development in chickens.

Meat quality is a complex problem which includes several factors of variation such as genetics, handling of animals during production, transportation and slaughter and also the handling of meat during product processing. Proteomic tools can give a new point of view on these problems and help the biologist to understand and finally resolve it.