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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » WHGQ » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #329095
Title: Definition of the low molecular weight glutenin subunit gene family members in a set of standard bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties

Author
item IBBA, MARIA - Washington State University
item Kiszonas, Alecia
item Morris, Craig

Submitted to: Journal of Cereal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/25/2017
Publication Date: 3/16/2017
Citation: Ibba, M.I., Kiszonas, A., Morris, C.F. 2017. Definition of the low molecular weight glutenin subunit gene family members in a set of standard bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties. Journal of Cereal Science. 74:263-271.

Interpretive Summary: Low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS) are a class of seed storage proteins that play a major role in the determination of the viscoelastic properties of wheat dough. Although the variation of the LMW-GSs has been extensively studied at the protein level, the genic profile associated to different protein alleles has not been clearly defined. In the present study, the LMW-GS gene family members of a set of bread wheat standard cultivars with known LMW-GS protein alleles have been analyzed by using a gene-specific molecular marker system. Results of this study will open the possibility to understand the contribution of each of the LMW-GS gene in the control of the end-use quality.

Technical Abstract: Low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS) are a class of seed storage proteins that play a major role in the determination of the viscoelastic properties of wheat dough. Most of the LMW-GSs are encoded by a multi-gene family located on the short arms of the homoeologous group 1 chromosomes, at the Glu-A3, Glu-B3 and Glu-D3 loci. Generally, more than 15 genes are present in a single bread wheat cultivar. Although the variation of the LMW-GSs has been extensively studied at the protein level, the genic profile associated to different protein alleles has not been clearly defined. In the present study, the LMW-GS multi-gene families of a set of bread wheat standard cultivars for the Glu-A3, Glu-B3 and Glu-D3 protein alleles, have been analyzed by using a molecular marker approach based on the amplification of the complete set of the LMW-GS gene family members and their visualization by capillary electrophoresis. In most cases, each protein allele was represented by a specific haplotype; however, some alleles were genetically undistinguishable. The Glu-A3e and Glu-A3g alleles showed an identical genic profile, as did the alleles Glu-B3c and Glu-B3d and the Glu-B3f and Glu-B3ab. In contrast, two different haplotypes were identified for the Glu-D3c allele. The genes present at the Glu-D3 locus exhibited less variation compared to the genes at the Glu-A3 and Glu-B3 loci. Results of this study show the potential of the LMW-GS gene markers system in the genetic characterization of the LMW-GS protein alleles present in specific bread wheat cultivars. Moreover, this approach will open the possibility to understand the contribution of each of the LMW-GS gene alleles in the control of the end-use quality.