Effects of Allelic Variations in Wx‐1, Glu‐D1, Glu‐B3, and Pinb‐D1 Loci on Flour Characteristics and White Salted Noodle‐Making Quality of Wheat Flour

Doubled haploid wheat lines developed from a cross between a hard white winter wheat variety of normal starch endosperm and a waxy wheat variety were used to determine the effects of allelic variation in Wx‐1, Glu‐D1, Glu‐B3, and Pinb‐D1 loci on physiochemical properties of flour, noodle dough properties, and textural quality of cooked noodles. Milling yield, damaged starch content, protein content, and SDS sedimentation volume of flour were influenced the most by allelic composition of Pinb‐D1 loci, less by Wx‐1 loci, and least by Glu‐B3. Wheat lines carrying Pinb‐D1b or Glu‐B3h alleles exhibited higher milling yield and damaged starch content of flour than those with Pinb‐D1a and Glu‐B3d alleles. Wheat lines carrying the Pinb‐D1b allele were higher in protein content and SDS sedimentation volume than those carrying Pinb‐D1a. Mixograph water absorption was largely influenced by allelic composition of Wx‐1 loci, whereas mixograph mixing time and mixing tolerance were predominantly determined by allelic composition of Glu‐D1 loci. Amylose content and pasting properties of starch were mainly determined by allelic composition of Wx‐1 loci with little influence by allelic compositions of Glu‐D1, Glu‐B3, and Pinb‐D1 loci. Allelic composition of Wx‐1 loci contributed 53.4% of the variation in optimum water absorption of noodle dough and 26.7% of the variation in thickness of the noodle dough sheet. The variation of 7.8% in optimum water absorption of noodle dough was contributed by the allelic composition of Pinb‐D1 loci. Allelic composition of Wx‐1 loci was responsible for 73.2, 74.4, and 59.6% in the variation of hardness, springiness, and cohesiveness of cooked noodles, respectively. Cohesiveness of cooked noodles was also influenced by the allelic compositions of Glu‐B3 and Pinb‐D1 loci to a smaller extent.     

Protein and Quality Characterization of Complete and Partial Near‐Isogenic Lines of Waxy Wheat

The objective of this study was to evaluate protein composition and its effects on flour quality and physical dough test parameters using waxy wheat near‐isogenic lines. Partial waxy (single and double nulls) and waxy (null at all three waxy loci, Wx‐A1, Wx‐B1, and Wx‐D1) lines of N11 set (bread wheat) and Svevo (durum) were investigated. For protein composition, waxy wheats in this study had relatively lower albumins‐globulins than the hard winter wheat control. In the bread wheats (N11), dough strength as measured by mixograph peak dough development time (MDDT) (r = 0.75) and maximum resistance (R_max) (r = 0.70) was significantly correlated with unextractable polymeric protein (UPP), whereas in durum wheats, moderate correlation was observed (r = 0.73 and 0.59, respectively). This may be due to the presence of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) Dx2+Dy12 at the Glu‐D1 locus instead of Dx5+Dy10, which are associated with dough strength. Significant correlation of initial loaf volume (ILV) to flour polymeric protein (FPP) (r = 0.75) and flour protein (FP) (r = 0.63) was found in bread wheats, whereas in durum wheats, a weak correlation of ILV was observed with FP (r = 0.09) and FPP (r =0.51). Significant correlation of ILV with FPP in bread wheats and with % polymeric protein (PPP) (r = 0.75) in durum lines indicates that this aspect of end‐use functionality is influenced by FPP and PPP, respectively, in these waxy wheat lines. High ILV was observed with 100% waxy wheat flour alone and was not affected by 50% blending with bread wheat flour. However, dark color and poor crumb structure was observed with 100% waxy flour, which was unacceptable to consumers. As the amylopectin content of the starch increases, loaf expansion increases but the crumb structure becomes increasingly unstable and collapses.     

Synergistic and Additive Effects of Three High Molecular Weight Glutenin Subunit Loci. II. Effects on Wheat Dough Functionality and End‐Use Quality

Understanding the relationship between basic and applied rheological parameters and the contribution of wheat flour protein content and composition in defining these parameters requires information on the roles of individual flour protein components. The high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW‐GS) proteins are major contributors to dough strength and stability. This study focused on eight homozygous wheat lines derived from the bread wheat cvs. Olympic and Gabo with systematic deletions at each of three HMW‐GS encoding gene loci, Glu‐A1, Glu‐B1, and Glu‐D1. Flour protein levels were adjusted to a constant 9% by adding starch. Functionality of the flours was characterized by small‐scale methods (2‐g mixograph, microextension tester). End‐use quality was evaluated by 2‐g microbaking and 10‐g noodle‐making procedures. In this sample set, the Glu‐D1 HMW‐GS (5+10) made a significantly larger contribution to dough properties than HMW‐GS coded by Glu‐B1 (17+18), while subunit 1 coded by Glu‐A1 made the smallest contribution to functionality. These differences remained after removing variations in glutenin‐to‐gliadin ratio. Correlations showed that both basic rheological characteristics and protein size distributions of these flours were good predictors of several applied rheological and end‐use quality tests.     

Breadmaking Quality of Selected Durum Wheat Genotypes and Its Relationship with High Molecular Weight Glutenin Subunits Allelic Variation and Gluten Protein Polymeric Composition

Twenty‐seven durum wheat genotypes originating from different geographical areas, all expressing LMW‐2 at Glu‐B3, and five bread wheats were evaluated for flour mixing properties, dough physical characteristics, and baking performance. Gluten polymeric composition was studied using size‐exclusion HPLC of unreduced flour protein extracts. As a group, durum wheats had poorer baking quality than bread wheats in spite of higher protein and total polymer concentrations. Durum wheats exhibited weaker gluten characteristics, which could generally be attributed to a reduced proportion of SDS‐unextractable polymer, and produced less extensible doughs than did bread wheats. However, substantial variation in breadmaking quality attributes was observed among durum genotypes. Better baking performance was generally associated with greater dough extensibility and protein content, but not with gluten strength related parameters. Extensibility did not correlate with gluten strength or SEHPLC parameters. Genotypes expressing high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) 6+8 exhibited better overall breadmaking quality compared with those expressing HMW‐GS 7+8 or 20. Whereas differences between genotypes expressing HMW‐GS 6+8 and those carrying HMW‐GS 7+8 could only be attributed to variations in extensibility, the generally inferior baking performance of the HMW‐GS 20 group relative to the HMW‐GS 6+8 group could be attributed to both weaker and less extensible gluten characteristics.     

Synergistic and Additive Effects of Three High Molecular Weight Glutenin Subunit Loci. I. Effects on Wheat Dough Rheology

The high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) play an important role in governing the functional properties of wheat dough. To understand the role of HMW‐GS in defining the basic and applied rheological parameters and end‐use quality of wheat dough, it is essential to conduct a systematic study where the effect of different HMW‐GS are determined. This study focuses on the effect of HMW‐GS on basic rheological properties. Eight wheat lines derived from cvs. Olympic and Gabo were used in this study. One line contained HMW‐GS coded by all three loci, three lines were each null at one of the loci, three lines were null at two of the loci and one line null at all three loci. The flour protein level of all samples was adjusted to a constant 9% by adding starch. In another set of experiments, in addition to the flour protein content being held at 9%, the glutenin‐to‐gliadin ratio was maintained at 0.62 by adding gliadin. Rheological properties such as elongational, dynamic, and shear viscometric properties were determined. The presence of Glu‐D1 subunits (5+10) made a significantly larger contribution to dough properties than those encoded by Glu‐B1 (17+18), while subunit 1, encoded by Glu‐A1, made the least contribution to functionality. Results also confirmed that HMW‐GS contributed to strength and stability of dough.     

Novel Ha Locus,Pina‐D1c/Pinb‐D1h,Affects Soft White Spring Wheat Milling and Baking

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain hardness is controlled by the Hardness locus on chromosome 5D which consists of the linked genes Puroindoline a and b (Pina and Pinb, respectively). The Ha locus haplotype, Pina‐D1a/Pinb‐D1a, is found in all soft hexaploid wheats. While Pin diversity is low among soft wheats, several novel Ha haplotypes were reported among synthetic hexaploid wheats created using the D genome donor, Aegilops tauschii. One haplotype, Pina‐D1c/Pinb‐D1h, confers a soft phenotype with increased grain hardness over Pina‐D1a/Pinb‐D1a wheats. Here, the Pina‐D1c/Pinb‐D1h haplotype was backcrossed into the soft white spring wheat cultivars ‘Vanna’ and ‘Alpowa’. Then the effect of the two haplotypes on soft wheat milling and baking quality was compared. The effects of the Pina‐D1c/Pinb‐D1h Ha locus haplotype were similar in both the Vanna and Alpowa backgrounds. The Pina‐D1c/Pinb‐D1h lines had significantly more large and fewer small flour particles in both backgrounds and 1.51% higher flour yield in the Alpowa background. The Pina‐D1c/Pinb‐D1h haplotype group was not associated with any consistent differences in solvent retention capacities or sugar snap cookie quality parameters. The results indicate that the Pina‐D1c/Pinb‐D1h haplotype could be used to modify soft wheat milling properties without substantial effects on baking quality.     

Puroindoline Genotype of the U.S. National Institute of Standards & Technology Reference Material 8441, Wheat Hardness

Grain hardness (kernel texture) is of central importance in the quality and utilization of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain. Two major classes, soft and hard, are delineated in commerce and in the Official U.S. Standards for Grain. However, measures of grain hardness are empirical and require reference materials for instrument standardization. For AACC Approved Methods employing near‐infrared reflectance (NIR) and the Single Kernel Characterization System (39‐70A and 55‐31, respectively), such reference materials were prepared by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Federal Grain Inspection Service. The material was comprised of genetically pure commercial grain lots of five soft and five hard wheat cultivars and was made available through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (SRM 8441, Wheat Hardness). However, since their establishment, the molecular‐genetic basis of wheat grain hardness has been shown to result from puroindoline a and b. Consequently, we sought to define the puroindoline genotype of these 10 wheat cultivars and more fully characterize their kernel texture through Particle Size Index (PSI, Method 55‐30) and Quadrumat flour milling. NIR, SKCS, and Quadrumat break flour yield grouped the hard and soft cultivars into discrete texture classes; PSI did not separate completely the two classes. Although all four of these methods of texture measurement were highly intercorrelated, each was variably influenced by some minor, secondary factors. Among the hard wheats, the two hard red spring wheat cultivars that possess the Pina‐D1b (a‐null) hardness allele were harder than the hard red winter wheat cultivars that possess the Pinb‐D1b allele based on NIR, PSI, and break flour yield. Among the soft wheat samples, SKCS grouped the Eastern soft red winter cultivars separate from the Western soft white. A more complete understanding of texture‐related properties of these and future wheat samples is vital to the use and calibration of kernel texture‐measuring instruments.     

Comparison of Quality‐Related Alleles Among Australian and North American Wheat Classes Exported to Japan

Grain hardness, amylose content, and glutenin subunit composition are critical determinants for end‐use properties of wheat. To improve the end‐use properties of domestic wheats, we studied these traits between the Australian and North American wheat classes exported to Japan in 2009 and 2011 by analyzing the corresponding alleles. Most hard classes had Pina‐D1b or Pinb‐D1b. A partial waxy allele (Wx‐B1b) was found in all Australian Standard White (ASW) seeds in 2009 and two‐thirds of ASW seeds in 2011. All or most American hard wheat seeds had Glu‐D1d. Most U.S. Western White (WW) seeds had a null allele (Glu‐A1c) or alleles that lacked one of the two Glu‐B1 subunits. Most hard red winter (HRW) seeds had Glu‐B3b or Glu‐B3g. Quality characteristics of these classes seemed to be consistent with these results. In addition, we also found new Glu‐1 and Glu‐3 alleles in HRW and WW. These results suggested that although there are variations in its allelic composition from year to year, each class has unique quality‐related alleles corresponding to its end use. We proposed two matrices for classification of starch properties on the basis of Pin and Wx allelic combinations and for classification of gluten strength on the basis of glutenin allelic combinations.     

Influence of High Molecular Weight Glutenins on Viscoelastic Properties of Intact Wheat Kernel and Relation to Functional Properties of Wheat Dough

High and low molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS and LMW‐GS, respectively) are the main factors determining the viscoelastic properties of wheat dough. The mechanical and viscoelastic properties of 29 samples of wheat kernels differing in HMW‐GS were evaluated with load‐compression tests. Samples were grouped by genotypes differing in HMW‐GS composition (allelic variants: Glu‐A1: null, 1, 2*; Glu‐B1: 7, 7+8, 7+9, 13+16, and 17+18; Glu‐D1: 5+10, 2+12). Groups representing Glu‐A1 1 and 2*; Glu‐B1 7, 7+9 and 17+18; and Glu‐D1 5+10 generally possessed hard grain and showed the largest kernel elasticity values, while those representing subunits Glu‐A1 null; Glu‐B1 7+8; and Glu‐D1 2+12 had soft kernels and showed lower elastic work values. Genotypes possessing HMW‐GS 1, 17+18 and 5+10 gave large SDS‐sedimentation values and better dough viscoelastic properties than those with allelels: null, 7+8, and 2+12. Kernel hardness showed significant correlation with the dough‐strength‐related parameters: SDS‐sedimentation; dough mixing time; and the alveographic parameters, W and P. There was a negative correlation between kernel plastic work and dough mixing time and the dough tenacity/extensibility parameters, P/L. The significant relationship between sedimentation tests and kernel elastic work seems to indicate that elastic work is related to genotype (protein composition). The general tendency was that higher values in kernel elastic work and size corresponded to better dough rheological quality. Mechanical properties of the kernel were significantly related to the elastic behavior measured in a single wheat kernel. The use of the compression test on individual kernels is easy, rapid and nondestructive and therefore seems to show potential use as a rapid tool in breeding to improve wheat quality.     

Effect of High‐Molecular‐Weight Glutenin Subunit Allelic Composition on Wheat Flour Tortilla Quality

Wheat cultivars possessing quality attributes needed to produce optimum quality tortillas have not been identified. This study investigated the effect of variations in high‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits encoded at the Glu‐1 loci (Glu‐A1, Glu‐B1, and Glu‐D1) on dough properties and tortilla quality. Flour protein profiles, dough texture, and tortilla physical quality attributes were evaluated. Deletion at Glu‐D1 resulted in reduced insoluble polymeric protein content of flour, reduced dough compression force, and large dough extensibility. These properties produced very large tortillas (181 mm diameter) compared with a control made with commercial tortilla wheat flour (161 mm). Presence of a 7 + 9 allelic pair at Glu‐B1 increased dough strength (largest compression force, reduced extensibility, and small‐diameter tortillas). Deletion at Glu‐A1 produced large tortillas (173 mm) but with unacceptable flexibility during storage (score <3.0 at day 16). In general, presence of 2* at Glu‐A1, in combination with 5 + 10 at Glu‐D1, produced small‐diameter tortillas that required large force to rupture (tough texture). Presence of 2 + 12 alleles instead of 5 + 10 at Glu‐D1 produced tortillas with a good compromise between diameter (>165 mm) and flexibility during storage (>3.0 at day 16). These allele combinations, along with deletion at Glu‐D1, show promise for tortilla wheat development.     

Influence of Low‐Molecular‐Weight Glutenin Subunit Haplotypes on Dough Rheology in Elite Common Wheat Varieties

The low‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits (LMW‐GSs) are a class of wheat seed storage proteins encoded by a multigene family located at the Glu‐3 loci that influences wheat end‐use quality. Owing to ambiguities in the LMW‐GS allele nomenclature and to the complexity of the Glu‐3 loci organization, a clear relationship between LMW‐GS alleles and wheat end‐use quality has not been adequately determined. In the present study, four sets of elite common wheat varieties were analyzed for their LMW‐GS genic profile, along with their dough rheology and end‐product baking properties. Among these varieties, variation at the Glu‐A3 locus had a major impact on the analyzed dough rheology parameters, followed by the Glu‐B3 and Glu‐D3 loci. Also, the genes located at the linkage groups Glu‐A3‐3, Glu‐B3‐3, and Glu‐D3‐5 were more highly associated with dough strength, mixing, and extensibility properties. Results obtained in this study clearly indicate that there are specific LMW‐GS haplotypes that are more highly associated than others to variation in dough rheology.     

Two‐Site Sandwich ELISA for Discriminating Different Gli‐1 (gliadin)/Glu‐3 (LMW‐glutenin subunit) Alleles in Hexaploid Wheat

A panel of monoclonal antibodies was assessed in a two‐site sandwich ELISA format, using both reduced glutenin subunit and gliadin‐rich antigen preparations, to develop assays that could potentially discriminate between Gli‐1/Glu‐3 allelic variants in hexaploid wheat. Each antibody was assessed as the immobilized and the enzyme‐labeled antibody in the sandwich ELISA. A number of antibody combination were identified which could discriminate different Gli‐1/Glu‐3 allelic variants in a population of doubled haploid lines derived from a cross between parents that differed at each of these loci. Certain labeled antibodies consistently detected allelic variation at a particular locus when used in conjunction with any of several immobilized antibodies. However, the level of discrimination was largely dependent on the choice of immobilized antibody. Two antibody combinations were identified that provided twofold differences in ELISA absorbances in flour extracts from different allelic variants at the Gli‐A1/Glu‐A3 and Gli‐B1/Glu‐B3 loci. By analyzing the prolamin composition of the antigen preparations, and the performance of the assays with flour extracts from a set of Gli‐1/Glu‐3 biotypes and a range of diverse cultivars, the biochemical basis for the discrimination was determined. The assays may have potential for use in high‐throughput screening in wheat breeding programs.     

Influence of High Molecular Weight (HMW) and Low Molecular Weight (LMW) Glutenin Subunits Controlled by Glu‐1 and Glu‐3 Loci on Durum Wheat Quality

The progenies of four intervarietal durum wheat crosses were used to determine the effects of glutenin variants coded at Glu‐1 and Glu‐3 loci on durum wheat quality properties. The F₂ lines were analyzed for high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) glutenin composition by electrophoresis. Whole grain derived F₃ and F₄ samples were analyzed for vitreousness, protein, and dry gluten contents, gluten index, SDS sedimentation volume, mixograph, and alveograph properties. Allelic variation at the Glu‐B1 and Glu‐B3 loci affected gluten quality significantly. Comparisons among the Glu‐B3 and Glu‐B1 loci indicated that the LMW glutenin subunits controlled by Glu‐B3 c and j made the largest positive contribution, followed by the alleles a, k, and b. HMW glutenin subunits 14+15 gave larger SDS values and higher mixing development times than subunits 7+8 and 20. The positive effects of the glutenin subunits LMW c and HMW 14+15 were additive. Flour protein content, vitreousness, and mixograph peak height values were positively correlated with each other as well as with Dglut values, whereas the SDS sedimentation highly correlated with mixing development time, alveograph strength, and extensibility but was not correlated with the other parameters. The results of quality analysis, together with the results of the genetic analysis, led to the conclusion that SDS sedimentation, mixograph mixing development time, and peak breakdown are the tests more influenced by allelic variation of prolamin. The uses of the results in durum wheat quality breeding programs are discussed.     

Protein and Quality Characterization of Triticale Translocation Lines in Breadmaking

Introduction of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) from the Glu‐D1d locus of wheat into triticale restores the genetic constitution of high molecular weight glutenin loci to that of wheat and subsequently improves the breadmaking quality of triticale. One means of achieving such restoration of the genetic constitution is through the use of translocation lines. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the performance of translocations 1A.1D and 1R.1D with HMW‐GS 5+10 and 2+12 in terms of physical dough tests and baking quality using four different sets of triticale lines, GDS7, Trim, Rhino, and Rigel. In general, significantly lower milling quality (flour yield), very low mixing times with lower loaf volume were typical of all the triticales studied except 1A.1D 5+10 lines, when compared to hard wheat flour (Pegaso). Among the lines studied, significantly higher loaf volume, mixograph dough development time (MDDT), and maximum resistance to extension (R_max) were observed with 1A.1D 5+10 lines indicating that translocation of the Glu‐D1d allele with HMW‐GS 5+10 was beneficial in terms of improving the quality attributes. Although pure triticale flour from these lines did not possess the functional characteristics for good quality bread, the translocation 1A.1D that contains HMW glutenin subunits 5+10 showed significant improvement in quality characteristics, and could reasonably be expected to yield commercially satisfactory bread loaves when combined with bread wheat flour. Significantly higher UPP, R_max, and MDDT values along with a lower gliadin‐to‐glutenin ratio in 1A.1D 5+10 of GDS7 and Rigel sets indicate that the molecular weight distribution was shifted to higher molecular weights, resulting in greater dough strength associated with 5+10 subunits.     

N‐Terminal Amino Acid Sequence Analysis of Endosperm Proteins in Japanese Hexaploid Wheat

Semidry electroblotting is convenient and allows a rapid and efficient protein transfer from two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D‐PAGE) gels onto sequencer stable supports for protein microsequence analysis in a gas‐phase sequencer. Using this technique, I determined the amino acid sequences of the endosperm proteins in Japanese hexaploid commercial wheats (Triticum aestivum). Based on sequence determination of the Japanese hexaploid wheats, the endosperm protein could be easily characterized. Wheat endosperm protein, extracted in the presence of 2‐mercaptoethanol and SDS, fractionated into many protein polypeptides using 2D‐PAGE under dissociating conditions. These components were grouped into HMW glutenin subunits, α‐, β‐ or γ‐gliadins, and novel protein polypeptides by using the N‐terminal amino acid sequences. The novel endosperm protein polypeptides were detected, and two new types of N‐terminal amino acid sequences have been found for protein poly‐peptides. These polypeptides have much faster electrophoresis mobility during 2D‐PAGE and are therefore probably a much smaller size than any other peptides of endosperm protein groups found in hexaploid wheat. Ten protein polypeptides have been purified from cultivars of Japanese wheat. Some differences in the contents of amino acids for four protein polypeptide spots were apparent in Japanese wheat.     

Rapid Quality Assessment of Wheat Cultivars Registered in Poland Using the 2‐g Mixograph and Multivariate Statistical Analysis

Baking and 2‐g mixograph analyses were performed for 55 cultivars (19 spring and 36 winter wheat) from various quality classes from the 2002 harvest in Poland. An instrumented 2‐g direct‐drive mixograph was used to study the mixing characteristics of the wheat cultivars. A number of parameters were extracted automatically from each mixograph trace and correlated with baking volume and flour quality parameters (protein content and high molecular weight glutenin subunit [HMW‐GS] composition by SDS‐PAGE) using multiple linear regression statistical analysis. Principal component analysis of the mixograph data discriminated between four flour quality classes, and predictions of baking volume were obtained using several selected mixograph parameters, chosen using a best subsets regression routine, giving R² values of 0.862–0.866. In particular, three new spring wheat strains (CHD 502a‐c) recently registered in Poland were highly discriminated and predicted to give high baking volume on the basis of two mixograph parameters: peak bandwidth and 10‐min bandwidth.     

Effect of Climate Change on Wheat Quality and HMW Glutenin Subunit Composition in the Pannonian Plain

The primary goal of this study is to improve our understanding of the extent of influence of climatic factors in Serbia and high‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunit (HMW‐GS) composition upon wheat end‐use quality. In‐depth analyses were performed on four bread wheat cultivars that are the most common in agricultural practice in Serbia. Total glutenin content showed significant difference between the production years, in opposition to gliadins. Cluster analysis of different percentages of glutenin and gliadin subunit molecular weight ranges (<40,000, 40,000–80,000, 81,000–120,000, and >120,000) indicated that the year of production and the cultivar did not have a significant effect on the percentage ranges for glutenins. However, they had a considerable impact on the percentage ranges for gliadins. Production year and the interaction of year and cultivar had the strongest influences on the percentage of SDS‐unextractable polymeric proteins. A synergistic effect of the HMW‐GS composition and climatic conditions revealed that all eight samples with HMW‐GS composition 2*, 5 + 10, 7 + 9 along with the highest Glu 1 score of 9 (out of a maximum of 10) produced in the year 2011 belonged to two clusters with the best wheat end‐use quality. Furthermore, the climate conditions in 2011 made it possible for the wheat cultivars with HMW‐GS composition –, 2 + 12, 7 + 9 to possess similar qualities as cultivars with HMW‐GS composition 2*, 5 + 10, 7 + 9 produced in 2012.     

Milling Quality and White Salt Noodle Color of Chinese Winter Wheat Cultivars

Improvement of milling quality is an important aspect in wheat breeding programs. However, the milling quality of Chinese wheats remains largely unexplored. Fifty‐seven Chinese winter wheat cultivars from four regions were used to investigate the variation of milling quality parameters and to determine the associations between milling quality traits and color of noodle sheet. Substantial variation was presented for all measured parameters in this germplasm pool. Complete soft, hard, and medium‐hard types were observed. Soft wheat and hard wheat show significant differences in flour ash content, flour bran area, and flour color grade. No simple trait can be used to select for flour milling quality. High flour ash content and bran speck area contributed negatively to brightness of dry flour. Correlation coefficients (r) between L* value of dry flour and flour ash content and bran speck area were ‐0.47 and ‐0.65 for hard cultivars, and ‐0.51 and ‐0.72 for soft cultivars, respectively. Flour color grade (FCG) was significantly and positively associated with bran speck area; r = 0.56 and 0.73 for hard and soft wheats, respectively. There was a high correlation between FCG and L* value of flour water slurry (r = ‐0.95). Strong associations were also established between milling quality index (MQI) and FCG, L* value of dry flour, flour‐water slurry, and white salted noodle sheet for both hard and soft wheats. In conclusion, substantial progress could be achieved in improvement of milling quality in Chinese winter wheats through genetic selection, and FCG and MQI could be two important parameters for evaluation of milling quality in breeding programs.     

Quality and Agronomic Effects of Three High‐Molecular‐Weight Glutenin Subunit Transgenic Events in Winter Wheat

Quality and agronomic effects of three transgenic high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW‐GS) events were characterized in advanced‐generation breeding lines of hard winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in three Nebraska crop years. Two of the transgenic events studied, Dy10‐E and B52a‐6, overexpress HMW‐GS 1Dy10, while the third event, Dx5 +Dy10‐H, overexpresses HMW‐GS 1Dx5 and, to a much lesser extent, 1Dy10. In addition, novel proteins possessing solubility characteristics defined as HMW‐GS were present in Dx5+Dy10‐H and B52a‐6. Average grain yield of lines derived from the three transgenic events was statistically lower than that of a group of control cultivars and advanced breeding lines, but not lower than the mean values of respective nontransgenic siblings. Grain hardness was influenced by one of the events. Dx5+Dy10‐H produced harder kernels than controls, its nontransgenic siblings, and the two additional transgenic events. All three events produced doughs with unusual mixing properties, although not likely to be directly useful in commercial applications. As a consequence, loaf volumes were depressed to variable degrees by the three events. The results indicated that over‐expression of HMW‐GS could eventually lead to improved breadmaking quality by optimizing the level of overexpression or by development and characterization of additional events.     

Expression,Purification, and Functional Analysis of Three Low‐Molecular‐Weight Glutenin Subunits from Wheat Cultivar Cheyenne

Glutenins, which form the network of gluten protein, are of great importance for the quality of flour products. Glutenins can be divided into HMW and LMW subunits according to molecular weight. Three genes for LMW glutenin subunits (LMW‐GS), named lmw‐cnd1, lmw‐cnd2, and lmw‐cnd3 with open reading frames of 1,053, 903, and 969 bp, respectively, were cloned from wheat cultivar Cheyenne. Heterologous expression vectors of the three LMW‐GS were constructed, and the recombinant proteins LMW‐CND1, LMW‐CND2, and LMW‐CND3 were overexpressed in Escherichia coli. After cell disruption with ultrasound, target proteins of high purity were obtained by using Ni²⁺ affinity chromatography. Farinograph and TAPlus measurements were used to investigate the effects of the three LMW‐GS on the characteristics of flour and dough. The results showed that the addition of each LMW‐GS can lead to an increase in the elasticity of the dough. Moreover, LMW‐CND2 and LMW‐CND3 promoted the strength of the dough. All three LMW‐GS caused a decrease of hardness and increase of springiness and cohesiveness of dough according to texture profiling results. Consequently, all three LMW‐GS have positive effects on the processing characteristics of dough and can improve bread quality to different extents.