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

¹U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany CA 94710. Mention of a particular product or instrument is for purposes of information only and is not meant to imply endorsement by the USDA over others that may be suitable.

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.