Seeds provide more than half of the world's intake of dietary protein and energy and thus are of immense economic, cultural and nutritional importance. Proteins can account for up to 40% of the dry weight of various types of seeds, thereby making a large contribution to the nutritional quality and processing properties of seeds. It is, therefore, not surprising that seed proteins were among the first plant components to be systematically studied, some 250 years ago, and have been a major focus of research over the past 100 years. The properties and behaviour of seed proteins pervade modem life in numerous ways. For example, legume and cereal proteins are used'in the production of a wide range of meat-free foods; the process of bread-making is dep~ndent on the physical chemical properties of wheat seed proteins; and in developed, as well as developing, countries, nutritional deficiencies among vegetarian diets are avoided through balancing legume and cereal seeds as sources of dietary proteins. Understanding seed proteins, in order to improve their composition and properties and to increase their concentrations, will thus continue to be an important research objective for the future. The present volume represents the culmination of a long-discussed plan of the editors, to bring together the best international authorities in order to compile a definitive monograph on biological, biochemical, molecular and genetic aspects of seed proteins.

1. Seed Proteins.- Prolamin Storage Proteins.- 2. The Characteristics, Structures and Evolutionary Relationships of Prolamins.- 3. The Prolamins of the Triticeae.- 4. Avenins : The Prolamins of Oats.- 5. The Prolamins of Rice.- 6. The Prolamins of Maize.- 7. The Prolamins of Sorghum, Coix and Millets.- Storage Globulins (7S/11S).- 8. Distribution and Some Properties of Seed Globulins.- 9. Pea Globulins.- 10. Phaseolin: its Past, Properties, Regulation and Future.- 11. Canavalin.- 12. Vicia Globulins.- 13. Soybean Globulins.- 14. Lupin Globulins.- 15. Groundnut Globulins.- 16. Oat Globulins.- 17. Rice Glutelins.- 18. Globulin Storage Proteins in Crucifers and Non-legume Dicotyledonous Families.- 19. Globulines of the Pseudocereals: Amaranth, Quinoa and Buckwheat.- 20. 7S Globulins of Cereals.- 21. Molecular Phylogenies and Structural Diversification of Gymnosperm and Angiosperm Storage Globulins.- 22. Structural Relationships of 7S and 11S Globulins.- 23. Origin and Evolution of Seed Globulins.- 2S Albumin Storage Proteins.- 24. The 2S Albumin Storage Proteins.- Inhibitors.- 25. Enzyme Inhibitors of Seeds: Types and Properties.- 26. A Multigene Family of Trypsin/?-Amylase Inhibitors from Cereals.- 27. Inhibitors of Legume Seeds.- Other Seed Proteins of Wide Distribution.- 28. Seed Lectins.- 29. Lipoxygenases.- 30. Thionins.- 31. Antifungal Proteins.- 32. LEA Proteins.- 33. Seed Oleosins.- Synthesis, Processing and Deposition of Seed Proteins.- 34. Synthesis, Processing and Deposition of Seed Proteins: The Pathway of Protein Synthesis and Deposition in the Cell.- 35. The Synthesis and Deposition of Storage Proteins: Possible Role of Molecular Chaperones and the Unfolded Protein Response.