Wheat Intercultivar Differences in Susceptibility of Glutenin Protein to Effects of Bug (Eurygaster integriceps) Protease

Preharvest bug damage to wheat can cause significant losses in bread‐making quality. One of the most prevalent forms of bug damage which frequently occurs in most countries of the Middle East, Eastern Europe and North Africa can be attributed to Heteropterous insects, particularly Eurygaster spp. Intercultivar differences in the susceptibility of glutenin to proteolytic degradation by the bug Eurygaster integriceps were investigated using six breadwheat cultivars of Turkish origin. Crude enzyme extract was prepared with distilled water from bug‐damaged wheat. The freeze‐dried extract was blended with sound samples of ground wheat, and the mixture was incubated in distilled water for 30 and 60 min at 37°C and subsequently freeze‐dried. The proteolytic effects of bug damage were determined on large polymeric glutenin. The latter was measured as 50% 1‐propanol insoluble (50PI) glutenin extractable with 50% 1‐propanol in reductant dithiothreitol. The decreases in the amount of 50PI glutenin and the high and low molecular weight subunits were quantified using reversed‐phase HPLC. There was a substantial and progressive decrease in the quantity of 50PI glutenin and its subunits with increasing incubation time. Intercultivar differences were observed that were unrelated to intrinsic levels of proteolytic activity. After 60 min of incubation, the relative decrease in 50PI glutenin compared with control samples ranged from 43% (cv. Ankara) to 65 % (cv. Kirkpinar). Some cultivars (Lancer, Ankara and Gün) with similar levels of intrinsic proteolytic activity showed significantly different responses to bug protease. One cultivar (cv. Kirkpinar) with the lowest proteolytic activity was the most susceptible. High quality breadwheats (cvs. Bezostaya, Lancer, Kiraç and Gün) were generally more resistant to the bug protease, although Ankara, with both intermediate protease activity and breadmaking quality, was the most resistant cultivar. While the 50PI glutenin test was very effective in quantifying the damaging effects of bug protease on wheat protein quality, the nature of the intercultivar differences was unclear.     

Purification and Characterization of the Glutenin Subunits of Triticum tauschii,Progenitor of the D Genome in Hexaploid Bread Wheat

N-terminal amino acid sequences and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) molecular weights have been determined for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-purified high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) glutenin subunits (GS) of Triticum tauschii ssp. strangulata, contributor of the D genome to hexaploid bread wheat. The use of three different extraction procedures resulted in similar glutenin preparations. On the basis of N-terminal sequences, the same types of glutenin subunits that have been reported in bread and durum wheats (HMW-GS of both the x and y types and LMW-GS of the LMW-s, LMW-m, α-, and γ-types) were found in T. tauschii. However, the HMW-GS in T. tauschii were in greater proportion relative to LMW-GS when compared to reported values for a bread and durum wheat. Our results support the likelihood that differences in the proportions of the various subunits contributed by the A, B, and D genomes, rather than qualitative differences in the types of subunits, are responsible for the major differences in quality characteristics between bread wheat and durum wheat.     

Effect of Aelia spp. and Eurygaster spp. Damage on Wheat Proteins

The effect of Aelia spp. and Eurygaster spp. wheat bugs on the protein fractions of different wheat cultivars has been studied by size‐exclusion high‐performance liquid chromatography (SE‐HPLC) and free‐zone capillary electrophoresis (FZCE). Those methods were used to quantify and characterize the extent of protein modification. A decrease in the amount of alcohol‐insoluble polymeric proteins along with an increase in the alcohol‐soluble polymeric proteins and gliadins were observed in damaged wheat. The high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) glutenin fractions were barely detected in the incubated damaged wheat from some cultivars, which indicated hydrolysis of those proteins by the bug proteinases. In damaged wheats, both incubated and unincubated, gliadin electrophoregrams revealed the presence of some new peaks with mobilities similar to the ω gliadins. The overall results suggest that the bug proteinases are potent enzymes that appear to be nonspecific because they hydrolyze all gluten proteins.     

Genetic characteristic of high molecular weight glutenin subunits in somatic hybrid wheat lines -- potential application to wheat breeding

Analysis of 17 derivatives from a somatic fusion between common wheat (Triticum aestivum) and tall wheat grass (Thinopyrum ponticum) showed a diversity of high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) compositions. On the basis of the inheritance of HMW-GS patterns, the derivatives were either (i) bred true over four successive generations, (ii) generated a few novel HMW-GS combinations at each generation, or (iii) showed highly unstable HMW-GS compositions. HMW-GS analysis of F(5) seed and each single seed-generated F(6) progenies further revealed that most of the HMW-GS had genetic stability. The variations of HMW-GS were inferred to occur in early generations and were maintained thereafter. Low molecular weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS) in hybrid lines with high or low bread-making quality, classified into the first pattern, were compared. The result showed that hybrid lines with the uniform HMW-GS patterns also have identical LMW-GS patterns. The Glu-1 quality score was inferred to be relatively significant to the sodium dodecyl dulfate sedimentation value, as well as to correlate with the gluten exponent and contents of dry gluten and proteins. Sexual hybridization between high-quality somatic hybrid progeny II-12 and Chinese Spring (CS) showed that these high-quality HMW-GS genes could entail progenies. There was not subunit variation in the progenies of II-12 x CS. Therefore, sexual hybridization between somatic hybrid line and cultivars can transfer novel high-quality HMW-GS of somatic hybrids and benefit wheat breeding.     

施氮量对小麦氮代谢相关酶活性和子粒蛋白质品质的影响

在2003～2004年和2004～2005年小麦生长季,以强筋小麦济麦20为材料,分别设置N 0、96、168、240、276 kg/hm2 5个施氮量处理和0、96、168、240 kg/hm2 4个施氮量处理,研究不同施氮量对小麦氮代谢相关酶活性和子粒蛋白质品质的影响。两年度的试验结果均表明,在一定施氮量范围内,随施氮量增加,公顷穗数、穗粒数、蛋白质含量、子粒产量和蛋白质产量均显著升高;继续增加施氮量子粒产量显著降低,公顷穗数、穗粒数、蛋白质产量降低或无显著差异。其中2004～2005年生长季,在0～168 kg/hm2施氮量范围内,随施氮量增加,旗叶谷氨酰胺合成酶（GS）活性、开花21d后的旗叶內肽酶（EP）活性、旗叶游离氨基酸含量、子粒醇溶蛋白含量、高分子量谷蛋白亚基（HMW-GS）和低分子量谷蛋白亚基（LMW-GS）含量、HMW-GS / LMW-GS比值、子粒蛋白质含量、公顷穗数和穗粒数、子粒产量均显著升高,面团形成时间和稳定时间延长;继续增加施氮量至240 kg/hm2,GS活性无显著变化,但开花21 d后的EP活性、-醇溶蛋白、-醇溶蛋白、HMW-GS、LMW-GS和子粒蛋白质含量仍显著提高,面团稳定时间继续延长,子粒产量显著降低。说明施氮过多对小麦氮素同化和产量无益;提高开花后旗叶GS活性和灌浆后期旗叶EP活性,有利于HMW-GS和LMW-GS的积累及HMW-GS/ LMW-GS比值的提高。适量施氮不仅提高了子粒灌浆所需氮源的供给能力,而且显著增加公顷穗数和穗粒数,扩大了单位面积库容,增加了单位面积上的氮素和光合产物在子粒中的贮存,这是适量施氮实现子粒品质和产量同步提高的生理原因。本试验条件下高产优质高效的施氮量为168～240 kg/hm2。     

施氮量对不同小麦品种高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基表达量及品质影响的研究

采用盆栽试验和SDS-PAGE技术,研究了氮肥对强筋和中筋小麦亚基表达量、品质性状及相关关系的影响。结果表明,施用氮肥提高了优质小麦高分子量谷蛋白亚基表达量,对强筋小麦影响较小,而对中筋小麦影响较大。施氮后,强筋小麦的亚基表达量与醇溶蛋白和谷蛋白的含量极显著相关,而中筋小麦的亚基表达量仅与谷蛋白的含量显著相关,说明氮肥对不同亚基组成小麦高分子量谷蛋白表达量及蛋白组分调控有一定差异。施氮后,高分子量谷蛋白亚基表达量与各项加工品质指标呈正相关;强筋小麦的亚基表达量与湿面筋含量、稳定时间、沉降值和评价值相关性达到显著或极显著水平;而中筋小麦的亚基表达量仅与沉降值相关性达到显著水平。     

Depolymerization of the Glutenin Macropolymer During Mixing: II. Differences in Retention of Specific Glutenin Subunits

The depolymerization of individual high and low molecular weight (HMW and LMW, respectively) glutenin subunits (GS) from the glutenin macropolymer (GMP) in doughs during mixing was investigated by reversed-phase (RP) HPLC and SDS-PAGE. Cultivars with different dough strengths, as well as lines null for specific HMW-GS and biotypes differing at individual HMW-GS and LMW-GS encoding loci, were studied. During mixing, the proportion of total HMW-GS in GMP decreased, and the ratios of different subunits in the GMP in doughs changed. There was a loss of chromosome 1B- and 1D-encoded x-HMW-GS, while the relative proportions of y-HMW-GS (among HMW-GS) increased. Changes in 1B subunits occurred first, while most of the changes in 1D HMW-GS content occurred during dough breakdown. Changes were more pronounced for doughs of weak to average strengths than for stronger doughs. RP-HPLC analysis demonstrated a consistent increase in the retention times (surface hydrophobicity) of chromosome 1D-encoded HMW-GS but not of other HMW-GS or LMW-GS during mixing. SDS-PAGE and RP-HPLC demonstrated that specific B subunits, typically those with lower hydrophobicity, were selectively depolymerized from the GMP during dough breakdown, while the proportions of specific C subunits, typically those with greater hydrophobicity, increased. Similar trends were seen in analyses of several pairs of biotypes differing at single LMW-GS encoding loci, although there were slight differences in the depolymerization behavior of wheats with different allelic compositions. The results suggest that dough breakdown may be triggered by the loss of specific HMW-GS from the GMP, and a structural hierarchy may exist for different LMW-GS within glutenin in doughs.     

Pan Bread and Chinese White Salted Noodle Qualities of Chinese Winter Wheat Cultivars and Their Relationship with Gluten Protein Fractions

Improvement of food processing quality has become a major breeding objective in China. Nineteen Chinese leading winter wheat cultivars with improved quality and two Australian cultivars with high bread and noodle-making qualities were sown in four locations for two years to investigate dough properties, pan bread, and Chinese white salted noodle (CWSN) qualities, and their association with the quantity of protein fractions. The results indicated that genotype, environment, and genotype-by-environment interaction significantly affected most of quality traits and amount of protein fractions. Genotype mainly determined the quantity of gluten protein fractions and pan bread quality parameters, while environment was the most important source of variation for the noodle quality parameters. Chinese cultivars were characterized by acceptable protein content (11.1–13.4%), medium to strong dough strength (maximum resistance 176.9–746.5 BU), medium to poor dough extensibility (166.5–216.4 mm), fair to very good pan bread qualities, and good to very good CWSN qualities. Gliadin contributed more in quantity to protein content (r = 0.80, P < 0.001), however, glutenin and its subgroups were more important to dough strength. The quantity of glutenin, HMW-GS, and LMW-GS were highly and significantly correlated with dough strength-related traits such as farinograph development time, stability, extensigraph maximum resistance, and extension area (r = 0.70–0.91, 0.65–0.89, and 0.70–0.91, respectively; P < 0.001). The quantity of LMW-GS could explain 82.8% of the total variation of dough maximum resistance. The quantity of gliadin and the ratio of HMW-GS to LMW-GS determined dough extensibility (r = 0.75 and r = –0.59, respectively; P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively). Higher quantity of glutenin and lower ratio of gliadin to glutenin resulted in higher bread score with r = 0.70 (P < 0.001) and r = –0.74 (P < 0.001), respectively. However, protein content and its fractions have a moderate undesirable effect on CWSN parameters such as color, firmness, and taste. Therefore, both allelic variation and quantity of storage protein fractions should be considered in breeding cultivars with improved pan bread making quality.     

Allelic diversity of HMW and LMW glutenin subunits and omega-gliadins in French bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Wheat endosperm storage proteins, namely gliadins and glutenins, are the major components of gluten. They play an important role in dough properties and in bread making quality in various wheat varieties. In the present study, the different alleles encoded at the 6 glutenin loci and at 3 -gliadin loci were identified from a set of 200 hexaploid wheat cultivars grown primarily in France using SDS PAGE. At Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Glu-D1, encoding high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS), 3, 8 and 5 alleles were observed respectively. Low molecular weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS) displayed similar polymorphism, as 5 and 11 alleles were identified at loci Glu-A3 and Glu-B3 respectively. Four alleles were observed at Glu-D3 loci. Omega-gliadin diversity was also very high, as 7, 13 and 9 alleles were found at Gli-A1, Gli-B1 and Gli-D1, respectively. A total of 147 (or 149) patterns resulted from the genetic combination of the alleles encoding at the six glutenin loci (or Glu-1 and Gli-1 loci). Although Glu-1 and Glu-3 loci were located on different chromosome arms and were theoretically independent, some associations were revealed due to pedigree relatedness between some French wheat cultivars. The usefulness of allelic identification of LMW-GS together with HMW-GS and gliadins for future genetic and technological wheat improvement is discussed.     

Characterization of a glutenin-specific serine proteinase of Sunn bug Eurygaster integricepts Put

Glutenin hydrolyzing proteinases (GHPs) have been purified, by affinity chromatography, from wheat seeds damaged by the Sunn bug Eurygaster integriceps (Hemiptera, Scutelleridae). A 28 kDa protein was partially sequenced by mass spectrometry and Edman degradation which showed homology to serine proteases from various insects. Three full length clones were obtained from cDNA isolated from Sunn bug salivary glands using degenerate PCR based on the sequences obtained. The cleavage site of the protease was determined using recombinant and synthetic peptides and shown to be between the consensus hexapeptide and nonapeptide repeat motifs present in the high molecular weight subunits of wheat glutenin (PGQGQQ∧GYYPTSLQQ). Homology models were generated for the three proteinases identified in this study using the high resolution X-ray structure of a crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus) trypsin complexed with a peptide inhibitor as template (PDB accession 2F91). The novel specificity of this protease may find applications in both fundamental and applied studies.     

Effect of Single Substitution of Glutenin or Gliadin Proteins on Flour Quality of Alpha 16, a Canada Prairie Spring Wheat Breeders' Line

The effect of genetic variation in the glutenin and gliadin protein alleles of Alpha 16, a Canada Prairie Spring (CPS) wheat line, on the dough mixing, bread, and noodle quality properties were evaluated. The presence of a gliadin component (BGGL) and the low molecular weight glutenin subunit (LMW-GS) 45 found in the selection Biggar BSR were associated with significant increases in dough strength characteristics. The results of the study showed that gliadins, LMW-GS, and high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) can influence bread- and noodle-making properties of wheat flour. Genotype-by-environment interactions were not significant for most of the quality parameters studied, indicating that the differences observed in quality characteristics were mainly due to the effect of genotype.     

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.     

施氮量对不同品质类型小麦子粒蛋白质组分含量及加工品质的影响

选用强筋小麦济麦20、中筋小麦泰山23和弱筋小麦宁麦9号,利用反相高效液湘色谱（RP-HPLC）方法测定了施氮量对不同品质类型小麦子粒蛋白质组分含量和高分子量谷蛋白亚基（HMW-GS）、低分子量谷蛋白亚基（LMW-GS）含量的影响,并分析其与子粒加工品质的关系。结果表明,随施氮量增加,强筋小麦济麦20和中筋小麦泰山23的子粒蛋白质含量及各组分含量均呈先增加后降低的趋势,施氮量为N 240 kg/hm2时,蛋白质各组分含量较高,加工品质较好; 过量施氮抑制了HMW-GS合成,这是过量施氮导致强筋和中筋小麦子粒蛋白质品质变劣的原因之一。随施氮量增加,弱筋小麦宁麦9号子粒的蛋白质各组分含量显著增加,加工品质变劣。增施氮肥,3个品种的谷蛋白和醇溶蛋白含量的增加幅度显著高于清蛋白+球蛋白含量,这是施氮改善强筋和中筋小麦子粒加工品质的主要原因。济麦20和泰山23两品种的总蛋白质含量及醇溶蛋白含量无显著差异,但强筋小麦济麦20的谷蛋白含量、贮藏蛋白、HMW-GS、LMW-GS、谷蛋白大聚合体（GMP）含量及谷蛋白与醇溶蛋白含量的比值（Glu/Gli）和HMW-GS与LMW-GS含量的比值（HMW/LMW）高于中筋小麦泰山23,这是强筋小麦济麦20加工品质形成及其面团形成时间和稳定时间显著高于泰山23的重要原因。     

普通小麦背景中长穗偃麦草高分子量麦谷蛋白基因的表达、染色体定位与分子标记

摘要：以普通小麦（Triticum aestivum）中国春、长穗偃麦草?穴Thinopyrum elongatum ?雪及其双二倍体、二体异附加系、二体异代换系为材料，采用SDS-PAGE分析了种子高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基。长穗偃麦草高分子量麦谷蛋白基因在中国春背景中编码一条高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基，其迁移率与中国春1By8亚基相同，命名为1E8亚基，控制该亚基的基因位点Glu-E1位于长穗偃麦草E组染色体第一同源群的长臂上。用高分子量麦谷蛋白y亚基基因重复区域的特异引物进行扩增，长穗偃麦草1E8亚基编码基因（Glu-E1）扩增出1 300 bp的片段，而中国春1By8亚基编码基因（Glu-B1y）扩增出1 950 bp的片段。     

Comparative study of the effect of incorporated individual wheat storage proteins on mixing properties of rice and wheat doughs

The aim of this work was to compare the effects of incorporated wheat storage proteins on the functional properties of rice and wheat flours. The advantage of rice as a base flour compared to wheat is that it does not contain any wheat flour components and, therefore, has no interactive effect between wheat glutenin proteins. The incorporation of individual HMW glutenin subunit proteins (Bx6, Bx7, and By8) in different ratios had significant positive effects on the mixing requirements of both rice and wheat doughs. Reconstitution experiments using two x+y type HMW-GS pairs together with a bacterially expressed LMW-GS have been also carried out in this study. The largest effects of polymer formation and mixing properties of rice flour dough were observed when Bx and By subunits were used in a 1:1 ratio and HMW and LMW glutenin subunits in a 1:3 ratio. However, using the same subunit ratios in wheat as the base flour, these synergistic effects were not observed.     

Genetic variability at the Glu-1 loci in old and modern wheats (triticum aestivum L.) cultivated in Slovakia

The high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) composition at the Glu-1 complex loci, in 23 old original wheat genotypes cultivated in Slovakia several decades ago and 32 modern Slovak and Czech wheat cultivars growed in Slovakia at present were studied by SDS-PAGE. Some of the HMW-GS – subunit pairs 3+12, 17+18, and subunit 20, present in old historical wheats were missing in modern cultivars utilized in Slovakia nowadays. There were observed 15 different HMW-GS encoded by 11 alleles or allelic pairs in old genotypes. Lower number of different HMW-GS and competent alleles were observed in a set of modern wheat cultivars – 11 different HMW glutenin subunits encoded by 8 alleles or allelic pairs. The same number of different HMW-GS patterns was revealed in both sets of wheats. From the point of view of genetic variability, it could be concluded that long-term effort of breeders and decreasing of cultivation of landraces and old cultivars are associated with the loss of several HMW-GS alleles and decreasing of genetic variability of wheats. Molecular characterization can reveal broad allelic variability of old wheat genotypes and landraces. Their maintenance in genetic resource collections can prevent losses of these interesting genes.     

Intercultivar Variation in the Quantity of Monomeric Proteins,Soluble and Insoluble Glutenin,and Residue Protein in Wheat Flour and Relationships to Breadmaking Quality

A new fractionation procedure based on differential solubility was applied to wheat flour proteins to evaluate the relationship between protein fractions and functionality for breadmaking. Flour was initially extracted with 50% 1-propanol. Monomeric proteins (mainly gliadins) and soluble glutenin contained in the 50% propanol soluble extract were fractionated by selective precipitation of the glutenin by increasing the concentration of 1-propanol to 70%; monomeric proteins remain in the supernatant. Insoluble glutenin in the 50% propanol insoluble residue was extracted using 50% 1-propanol containing 1% dithiothreitol (DTT) at 60°C. Protein in the final residue was extracted using SDS with or without DTT. It comprised mainly Glu-1D high molecular weight glutenin subunits and nongluten polypeptides. For seven Canadian cultivars of diverse breadmaking quality, there was relatively little variation in the percentage of flour protein corresponding to monomeric proteins (48–52%) and residue protein (14–18%). In contrast, intercultivar variation in soluble and insoluble glutenin was substantial, with contents of 10–20% and 12–28% of flour protein, respectively. Soluble and insoluble glutenin were also highly correlated with physical dough properties, accounting for 83–95% of the variation of individual dough rheological parameters (except dough extensibility), and ≈ 74% of the variation in loaf volume. In contrast, monomeric and residue protein fractions were poorly associated with breadmaking quality. However, among the four protein fractions, only residue protein was significantly correlated (r = -0.79) with dough extensibility. The flour sample with the highest and lowest concentrations of insoluble and soluble glutenin, respectively, as well as marginally the lowest concentrations of monomeric and residue proteins was Glenlea, a cultivar of the Canada Western Extra Strong Red Spring wheat class which characteristically possesses distinctly strong dough mixing properties.     

Storage of Wheat Grains at Elevated Temperatures Increases Solubilization of Glutenin Subunits

Grains of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, Sunco and Sunsoft, were stored at 4°C and 30°C for 270 days to examine changes in proteins during storage. When whole meal flour extracted from the grains was analyzed using an unfractionated protein extraction procedure, no significant changes were found in protein content or SDS‐PAGE profile for either cultivar in samples stored at 30°C compared with those stored at 4°C. Fractionation of the flour samples from stored grain into soluble and insoluble proteins revealed increases in soluble protein content for both cultivars stored at 30°C compared with 4°C. The soluble protein content, expressed as a percentage of the total protein, increased by 1.5% (P = 0.032) for Sunco and by 8.0 % (P = 0.158) for Sunsoft during storage at 30°C compared with those samples stored at 4°C. Analysis by SDS‐PAGE and subsequent protein identification revealed that the most evident change that occurred during storage at 30°C was an increase in the content of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) in the soluble fraction. The potential effect of changes in solubility of HMW‐GS on functional properties is discussed.     

Association of Glutenin Subunit Composition and Dough Rheological Characteristics with Cookie Baking Properties of Soft Wheat Cultivars

The effect of flour type and dough rheology on cookie development during baking was investigated using seven different soft winter wheat cultivars. Electrophoresis was used to determine the hydrolyzing effects of a commercial protease enzyme on gluten protein and to evaluate the relationships between protein composition and baking characteristics. The SDS‐PAGE technique differentiated flour cultivars based on the glutenin subunits pattern. Electrophoresis result showed that the protease degraded the glutenin subunits of flour gluten. Extensional viscosities of cookie dough at all three crosshead speeds were able to discriminate flour cultivar and correlated strongly and negatively to baking performance (P < 0.0001). The cookie doughs exhibited extensional strain hardening behavior and those values significantly correlated to baking characteristics. Of all rheological measurements calculated, dough consistency index exhibited the strongest correlation coefficient with baking parameters. The degradation effects of the protease enzyme resulted in more pronounced improvements on baking characteristics compared with dough rheological properties. Stepwise multiple regression showed that the dough consistency index, the presence or absence of the fourth (44 kDa) subunit in LMW‐GS and the fifth subunit (71 kDa) subunit in HMW‐GS were predominant parameters in predicting cookie baking properties.     

Growth Environment Influences Grain Protein Composition and Dough Functional Properties in Three Australian Wheat Cultivars

The objectives of this study were to assess how functional properties of proteins in whole meal wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flour vary across different growth environments. Grain from three commercial Australian Hard milling wheat cultivars was analyzed from four growth locations in 2008 and from two of the corresponding cultivars and locations in 2009. The protein content of the grain, soluble and insoluble extractable protein fractions, swelling index of glutenin (SIG), glutenin‐to‐gliadin ratio (Glu:Gli), percent unextractable polymeric protein (%UPP), and dough properties including force at maximum resistance (Rmax) and extensibility were measured. Based on analysis of variance of aggregated data for the cultivars, growth locations, and seasons, growth environment factors made significant contributions to variability in the total grain protein, Glu:Gli ratio, %UPP, SIG, Rmax, and extensibility of the wheat flour. Variability of protein content of the soluble and insoluble extractable protein fractions was mostly owing to genotype.