Overexpression of avenin-like b proteins in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) improves dough mixing properties by their incorporation into glutenin polymers

PLoS One. 2013 Jul 2;8(7):e66758. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066758. Print 2013.

Abstract

Avenin-like b proteins are a small family of wheat storage proteins, each containing 18 or 19 cysteine residues. The role of these proteins, with high numbers of cysteine residues, in determining the functional properties of wheat flour is unclear. In the present study, two transgenic lines of the bread wheat overexpressing avenin-like b gene were generated to investigate the effects of Avenin-like b proteins on dough mixing properties. Sodium dodecyl sulfate sedimentation (SDSS) test and Mixograph analysis of these lines demonstrated that overexpression of Avenin-like b proteins in both transgenic wheat lines significantly increased SDSS volume and improved dough elasticity, mixing tolerance and resistance to extension. These changes were associated with the increased proportion of polymeric proteins due to the incorporation of overexpressed Avenin-like b proteins into the glutenin polymers. The results of this study were critical to confirm the hypothesis that Avenin-like b proteins could be integrated into glutenin polymers by inter-chain disulphide bonds, which could help understand the mechanism behind strengthening wheat dough strength.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bread / analysis*
  • Elasticity
  • Flour / analysis*
  • Gene Expression*
  • Glutens / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Prolamins / chemistry
  • Prolamins / genetics*
  • Triticum / chemistry
  • Triticum / genetics*

Substances

  • Prolamins
  • Glutens
  • glutenin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30871524,31071403), the National Natural Science Foundation of Hubei, China (2010CBD02403), Wuhan Municipal S & T research project (201120922286), International S & T Cooperation Key Projects of MoST (Grant No. 2009DFB30340), and National Genetically Modified New Varieties of Major Projects of China (2011ZX08002-004, 2011ZX08010-004). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.