Gluten polypeptides as useful genetic markers of dough quality in Australian wheats

Abstract

Seed proteins of 28 Australian bread wheat cultivars were analysed by gel electrophoresis to indicate variations in the composition of their gliadins and glutenin polypeptides (both low- and high-molecular-weight). Composition was indicated according to allelic blocks of genes for each protein class and for each chromosome involved. Relationships were studied between gluten-protein alleles, pedigrees and dough properties (in the Extensograph). Overall, gliadins and low-molecular-weight (LMW) subunits of glutenin controlled by group 1 chromosomes showed closest relationships with each other. LMW subunits were most highly correlated with dough resistance and extensibility. Gliadins controlled by chromosomes 6A and 6D also had highly significant relationships to dough resistance and extensibility, respectively. Among high-molecular-weight subunits of glutenin, however, only those controlled by chromosome 1B showed a significant relationship with resistance to dough extension.