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It is widely held that the albumins of pea seeds are mainly enzyme proteins. In the present study of Pisum sativum cv. Greenfeast, certain major polypeptides confined to the albumin fraction from the cotyledons were shown to be degraded in vivo following germination, thus functioning as a reserve of amino nitrogen and carbon skeletons. A general definition of seed storage proteins is proposed, to encompass any protein present in major quantity in the seed which is degraded following imbibition, and for which no other function may be demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]