小麦高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基的遗传变异与小麦加工品质改良

高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基（HMW-GS）是小麦胚乳中一种具有多态性的蛋白质组分,在面团中它们可以通过相互之间或与低分子量麦谷蛋白亚基（LMw-Gs）之间形成二硫键来组成麦谷蛋白多聚体。由于其在小麦面粉加工所需的粘性和弹力方面具有极其重要的作用,过去几十年间在小麦加工品质相关蛋白研究方面的工作大多数集中在高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基上。近几年在高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基及其编码基因的鉴定、基因的遗传变异以及不同变异在小麦加工品质中的作用方面进行了大量研究。本文对近几年在HMW-GS领域的研究进展进行综述并且重点讨论HMW-GS的变异及其对小麦品质育种的重要意义。     

Expression of epitope-tagged LMW glutenin subunits in the starchy endosperm of transgenic wheat and their incorporation into glutenin polymers

The low-molecular-weight (LMW) glutenin subunits are components of the highly cross-linked glutenin polymers that confer viscoelastic properties to gluten and dough. They have both quantitative and qualitative effects on dough quality that may relate to differences in their ability to form the inter-chain disulphide bonds that stabilise the polymers. In order to determine the relationship between dough quality and the amounts and properties of the LMW subunits, we have transformed the pasta wheat cultivars Svevo and Ofanto with three genes encoding proteins, which differ in their numbers or positions of cysteine residues. The transgenes were delivered under control of the high-molecular-weight (HMW) subunit 1Dx5 gene promoter and terminator regions, and the encoded proteins were C-terminally tagged by the introduction of the c-myc epitope. Stable transformants were obtained with both cultivars, and the use of a specific antibody to the c-myc epitope tag allowed the transgene products to be readily detected in the complex mixture of LMW subunits. A range of transgene expression levels was observed. The addition of the epitope tag did not compromise the correct folding of the trangenic subunits and their incorporation into the glutenin polymers. Our results demonstrate that the ability to specifically epitope-tag LMW glutenin transgenes can greatly assist in the elucidation of their individual contributions to the functionality of the complex gluten system.Communicated by J. W. Snape     

The structure and properties of gluten: an elastic protein from wheat grain

The wheat gluten proteins correspond to the major storage proteins that are deposited in the starchy endosperm cells of the developing grain. These form a continuous proteinaceous matrix in the cells of the mature dry grain and are brought together to form a continuous viscoelastic network when flour is mixed with water to form dough. These viscoelastic properties underpin the utilization of wheat to give bread and other processed foods. One group of gluten proteins, the HMM subunits of glutenin, is particularly important in conferring high levels of elasticity (i.e. dough strength). These proteins are present in HMM polymers that are stabilized by disulphide bonds and are considered to form the 'elastic backbone' of gluten. However, the glutamine-rich repetitive sequences that comprise the central parts of the HMM subunits also form extensive arrays of interchain hydrogen bonds that may contribute to the elastic properties via a 'loop and train' mechanism. Genetic engineering can be used to manipulate the amount and composition of the HMM subunits, leading to either increased dough strength or to more drastic changes in gluten structure and properties.     

A cysteine in the repetitive domain of a high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit interferes with the mixing properties of wheat dough

The quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for making bread is largely due to the strength and extensibility of wheat dough, which in turn is due to the properties of polymeric glutenin. Polymeric glutenin consists of high- and low-molecular-weight glutenin protein subunits linked by disulphide bonds between cysteine residues. Glutenin subunits differ in their effects on dough mixing properties. The research presented here investigated the effect of a specific, recently discovered, glutenin subunit on dough mixing properties. This subunit, Bx7.1, is unusual in that it has a cysteine in its repetitive domain. With site-directed mutagenesis of the gene encoding Bx7.1, a guanine in the repetitive domain was replaced by an adenine, to provide a mutant gene encoding a subunit (MutBx7.1) in which the repetitive-domain cysteine was replaced by a tyrosine residue. Bx7.1, MutBx7.1 and other Bx-type glutenin subunits were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. This made it possible to incorporate each individual subunit into wheat flour and evaluate the effect of the cysteine residue on dough properties. The Bx7.1 subunit affected dough mixing properties differently from the other subunits. These differences are due to the extra cysteine residue, which may interfere with glutenin polymerisation through cross-linkage within the Bx7.1 subunit, causing this subunit to act as a chain terminator.     

Hepatitis B surface antigen assembles in a post-ER, pre-Golgi compartment.

Expression of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), the major envelope protein of the virus, in the absence of other viral proteins leads to its secretion as oligomers in the form of disk-like or tubular lipoprotein particles. The observation that these lipoprotein particles are heavily disulphide crosslinked is paradoxical since HBsAg assembly is classically believed to occur in the ER, and hence in the presence of high levels of protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) which should resolve these higher intermolecular crosslinks. Indeed, incubation of mature, highly disulphide crosslinked HBsAg with recombinant PDI causes the disassembly of HBsAg to dimers. We have used antibodies against resident ER proteins in double immunofluorescence studies to study the stages of the conversion of the HBsAg from individual protein subunits to the secreted, crosslinked, oligomer. We show that HBsAg is rapidly sorted to a post-ER, pre-Golgi compartment which excludes PDI and other major soluble resident ER proteins although it overlaps with the distribution of rab2, an established marker of an intermediate compartment. Kinetic studies showed that disulphide-linked HBsAg dimers began to form during a short (2 min) pulse, increased in concentration to peak at 60 min, and then decreased as the dimers were crosslinked to form higher oligomers. These higher oligomers are the latest identifiable intracellular form of HBsAg before its secretion (t 1/2 = 2 h). Brefeldin A treatment does not alter the localization of HBsAg in this PDI excluding compartment, however, it blocks the formation of new oligomers causing the accumulation of dimeric HBsAg. Hence this oligomerization must occur in a pre-Golgi compartment. These data support a model in which rapid dimer formation, catalyzed by PDI, occurs in the ER, and is followed by transport of dimers to a pre-Golgi compartment where the absence of PDI and a different lumenal environment allow the assembly process to be completed.     

Heterologous expression and purification of native and mutated low molecular mass glutenin subunits from durum wheat

Wheat technological properties are correlated with the size of glutenin polymers, consisting of high and low molecular mass glutenin subunits, linked together by disulphide bonds. In order to unravel glutenin polymer structure, we considered three LMW-GS genes, which differ in the number of cysteine residues and in the repetitive domain length. The three LMW-GS genes have been expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified with a yield of 40-100 mg/l of culture volume, depending on protein type. Single polypeptides are being used in re-oxidation and micro-mixographic experiments, in order to detect the influence of the differential structural characteristics on glutenin polymer formation.     

Mechanism of augmentation of the antibody response in vitro by 2-mercaptoethanol in murine lymphocytes: III. Serum-bound and oxidized 2-mercaptoethanol are available for the augmentation

The fetal calf serum (FCS) that was incubated with 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) followed by the removal of free 2-ME could support the antibody response to sheep erythrocytes in vitro as effectively as native FCS plus 2-ME. The supporting activity of 2-ME-pulsed FCS was reversibly abrogated by the treatment with dithiothreitol followed by dialysis. In addition, iodoacetamidetreated FCS did not acquire the supportiveness by 2-ME pulsing. These observations suggest that the activity of 2-ME-pulsed FCS would be due to the mixed disulfide between 2-ME and FCS components. On the other hand, the disulfide form of 2-ME (2-ME_ox) could also augment the antibody response as effectively as fresh 2-ME (the reduced form). These derivatized forms of 2-ME as well as fresh 2-ME was found to stimulate the transport of [³⁵S]cystine into murine lymphocytes when the uptake was examined by the long-term experiments (24 hr). These stimulations were thought to be mediated by the formation of the mixed disulfide between 2-ME and cysteine because the lymphocytes promoted the reaction of [³⁵S]cystine with 2-ME_ox- or 2-ME-pulsed FCS to produce the mixed disulfide that had been shown to be taken up by the lymphocytes four to five times more rapidly than cystine. Therefore, it was suggested that 2-ME_ox and 2-ME-pulsed FCS could augment the antibody response in a similar fashion to 2-ME by stimulating the uptake of cystine, an essential amino acid.     

小麦低分子量麦谷蛋白亚基研究进展

低分子量麦谷蛋白亚基(LMW-GS)是小麦胚乳中的一种聚合蛋白组分,LMW-GS彼此间或／和高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基(HMW-GS)间形成分子内二硫键,进而产生麦谷蛋白聚合体,决定小麦面团的加工品质。由于 LMW-GS与醇溶蛋白的提取特性和电泳迁移率相近,其研究进展缓慢。近年来随着电泳技术的提高,LMW-GS的研究也成为品质性状研究的新热点,越来越多的研究证实了LMW-GS对品质具有重要作用。然而,关于LMW-GS 的研究在我国尚处于起步阶段。本文从小麦LMW-GS的分类、染色体定位、结构及其与品质间关系等方面回顾其研究状况,并讨论研究中存在的问题。     

Cleavage of Disulfide Bonds of Wheat Glutenin by Mercuric Chloride

The dissociation of wheat glutenin into subunits was observed by treatment with a small amount of mercuric chloride under moderate conditions, suggesting that the cleavage of inter-polypeptide chain disulfide bonds in the glutenin might occur. The dissociation into the subunits was examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The electrophoretic patterns of the glutenin treated with mercuric chloride were essentially similar to those of the glutenin treated with 2-mercaptoethanol. Silver nitrate also had the same effects as mercuric chloride, and p-chloromercuribenzoate and N-ethylmaleimide showed no effect on the dissociation of the glutenin. Complete dissociation was achieved when the glutenin solution containing 0.5% SDS and 0.01 m phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) was incubated with 10^?3 m mercuric chloride (about four moles per mole of disulfide groups) at 30°C for 20 hr. Partial dissociation was also observed after 30 min incubation. Increasing temperature and SDS concentration promoted the rate of the dissociation of the glutenin by mercuric chloride.     

带芒草属物种新型高分子量谷蛋白亚基的鉴定

采用SDSPAGE方法对牧草带芒草属3个种8份材料的高分子量谷蛋白进行了检测和鉴定。结果显示,带芒草物种具有的高分子量谷蛋白亚基与普通小麦中发现的不一样,其迁移率存在较大差异。其中,x型亚基均比Dx2亚基迁移率小或接近,y型亚基均比Dx12亚基迁移率大。8份材料中共发现了4种x型亚基新类型(Tax1,Tax2,Tax3和Tax4),5种y型亚基新类型(Tay1,Tay2,Tay3,Tay4和Tay5)和6种亚基组合类型(Tax1+Tay3,Tax3+Tay2,Tax4+Tay1,Tax1+Tay1,Tax2+Tay5,Tax4+Tay2),该项研究结果揭示了带芒草属植物可能具有与普通小麦类似的高分子量谷蛋白亚基,这些亚基在小麦品质遗传改良中具有潜在的利用价值。     

Mechanism for oscillatory assembly of microtubules

Dampened oscillations of microtubule assembly can accompany polymerization at high tubulin subunit concentrations. This presumably results from a synchronization of dynamic instability behavior, which generates a large population of rapidly disassembling microtubules, that liberate tubulin-GDP oligomers. Subunits in oligomers cannot assemble until they dissociate, to allow GDP-GTP exchange. To determine whether rapidly disassembling microtubules generate oligomers directly, we measured the rate of dilution-induced disassembly of tubulin-GDP microtubules and the rate of dissociation of GDP from the so-formed tubulin-GDP subunits. The rate of GDP dissociation from liberated subunits was found to correspond to that of tubulin-GDP subunits (t1/2 = 5 s), rather than tubulin-GDP oligomers. This indicates that tubulin-GDP subunits are released from microtubules undergoing rapid disassembly. Oligomers apparently form in a side reaction from the high concentration of tubulin-GDP subunits liberated from the synchronously disassembling microtubule population. The rate of subunit dissociation is 0.11 s-1 with oligomers formed by concentrating tubulin-GDP subunits and 0.045 s-1 with oligomers formed by cold-induced microtubule disassembly. This difference provides evidence that the conformation of tubulin-GDP subunits released from rapidly disassembling microtubules differs from tubulin-GDP subunits that were not recently in the microtubule lattice.     

Subunit structure and interactions of the phloem proteins of Cucurbita maxima (pumpkin)

The two major proteins from the phloem exudate of Cucurbita maxima (pumpkin), PP1 and PP2, were stable in the absence of reducing agents after modification of their accessible cysteine residues with iodoacetamide. This permitted their purification without precautions to prevent oxidation. PP2, a lectin specific for oligomers of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, was shown by sedimentation-equilibrium ultracentrifugation to be a dimer of Mr of 48000. Neither dithiothreitol nor tri-(N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) altered this value. The constituent polypeptides were linked by two buried disulphide bridges. PP2 behaved aberrantly on gel-filtration on both Sephadex and Bio-Gel unless tri-(N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) was added to the elution buffer; the Mr was then measured as 46000. Other proteins which bind oligomers of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine are also retarded on gel-filtration. Soluble phloem filaments were prepared by collection of exudate into deaerated buffer containing iodoacetamide but no reducing agent. Oxidative gellation of the filaments was prevented by rapid modification of their many accessible cysteine residues, and is assumed to have maintained the degree of polymerisation found in vivo. Those disulphide bridges which were present allowed the incorporation of approximately 60% of the PP1 and 80% of the PP2 into polymeric material. It is concluded that PP1 and PP2 are both structural proteins present in the filaments observable in vivo. PP2 had an elongated binding-site for oligomers of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. It is suggested that this lectin immobilises bacteria and fungi to the cross-linked filaments which seal wounded phloem sieve-tubes, and thus maintains sterility.     

Conformational studies of wheat flour high relative molecular mass glutenin subunits by circular dichroism spectroscopy

Conformational studies of 1Dx2, 1Bx7, and 1Dy12 high relative molecular mass glutenin subunits, extracted from Alisei 1 flour, are reported. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy is employed to study their conformational polymorphism induced by urea and by urea in the presence of 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The CD spectra indicate that SDS promotes ordered structures. The addition of urea to the SDS-acetate solution of 1Dx2, 1Bx7, and 1Dy12 subunits eliminates the effect of SDS. Its addition to the acetate solution of proteins induces conformational transitions to form a poly-L-proline II-like structure. All the changes induced by urea follow a multistep transition process that is typical of proteins consisting of different domains.     

Formation of Disulphide Cross-Linked Aggregates of Large Subunit from Higher Plant Ribulose-1, 5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase

The properties of the large and small subunit polypeptides ofpurified wheat ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase(Rubisco, E.C. 4.1.1.39 [EC] ) were studied. The protein was dissociatedinto subunits by extreme pH or detergent treatment. The separatedsubunits were unable to reassemble into functional holoproteinwhen the starting conditions were restored. Some of the separatedsmall subunit polypeptides retained their ability to form functionalheterologous Rubisco when mixed with large subunits from a cyanobacterialRubisco. The separated large subunits of wheat Rubisco formednon-functional, high-molecular-weight aggregates. Treatmentwith both sodium dodecyl sulphate and thiol reductant was necessaryto disrupt the aggregated structures, which indicates that thelarge subunits had been cross-linked by disulphide bridges.Since added thiol reductant did not prevent aggregation of theseparated subunits during attempted reconstitution, oxidationof the sulphydryl groups apparently took place on contact facessheltered by the secondary and tertiary structures of the polypeptides.High concentration of large subunits or freezing and thawingof the solution stimulated the formation of disulphide cross-linksbetween the large subunits. The presence of small subunits didnot prevent aggregation of large subunits. The results suggestthat large subunits have a tendency to cross-link with disulphidebridges thus preventing proper assembly with small subunits. Key words: Rubisco, aggregates of large subunit, disulphide cross-linkage, assembly of Rubisco     

Modification of the Low Molecular Weight (LMW) Glutenin Composition of Transgenic Durum Wheat: Effects on Glutenin Polymer Size and Gluten Functionality

The low-molecular weight (LMW) glutenin subunits are major determinants of the viscoelasticity of durum wheat gluten, and therefore of its technological quality, with both quantitative effects and qualitative effects. We have modified the LMW glutenin subunit composition of the durum wheat cultivar Ofanto by expression of a transgene encoding a B-type LMW glutenin subunit and have carried out detailed analyses of two independent transformed lines in order to assess the effect of the transgene on the size distribution of the glutenin polymers and on their functional properties. In one line the expression of the transgene led to an increase in the amount of large glutenin polymers resulting in stronger and more stable dough. In the second line, however, the expression of the transgenic subunit was accompanied by decreased expression of endogenous LMW subunits with consequent detrimental effects on glutenin polymers and dough viscoelasticity. These results demonstrate that the LMW glutenin subunits contribute to the functional properties of wheat by influencing the amount and the distribution of glutenin polymers and indicate that either plant breeding or GM technology can be used to 'fine tune' the properties of durum wheat for different end uses by manipulating the amount and structures of individual LMW subunit proteins.     

Substitution of serine for non-disulphide-bond-forming cysteine in grass carp (Ctenopharygodon idellus) growth hormone improves in vitro oxidative renaturation

Native grass carp (Ctenopharygodon idellus) growth hormone, has 5 cysteine amino acid residues, forms two disulphide bridges in its mature form. Recombinant grass carp growth hormone, when over-expressed in E. coli, forms inclusion bodies. In vitro oxidative renaturation of guanidine-hydrochloride dissolved recombinant grass carp growth hormone was achieved by sequential dilution and stepwise dialysis at pH 8.5. The redox potential of the refolding cocktail was maintained by glutathione disulphide/glutathione couple. The oxidative refolded protein is heterogeneous, and contains multimers, oligomers and monomers. The presence of non-disulphide-bond-forming cysteine in recombinant grass carp growth hormone enhances intermolecular disulphide bond formation and also nonnative intramolecular disulphide bond formation during protein folding. The non-disulphide-bond-forming cysteine was converted to serine by PCR-mediated site-directed mutagenesis. The resulting 4-cysteine grass carp growth hormone has improved in vitro oxidative refolding properties when studied by gel filtration and reverse phase chromatography. The refolded 4-cysteine form has less hydrophobic aggregate and has only one monomeric isoform. Both refolded 4-cysteine and 5-cysteine forms are active in radioreceptor binding assay.     

Altered functional properties of tritordeum by transformation with HMW glutenin subunit genes

The high-molecular-weight (HMW) subunits of wheat glutenin are the major determinants of the gluten visco-elasticity that allows wheat doughs to be used to make bread, pasta and other food products. In order to increase the proportions of the HMW subunits, and hence improve breadmaking performance, particle bombardment was used to transform tritordeum, a fertile amphiploid between wild barley and pasta wheat, with genes encoding two HMW glutenin subunits (1Ax1 and 1Dx5). Of the 13 independent transgenic lines recovered (a transformation frequency of 1.4%) six express the novel HMW subunits at levels similar to, or higher than, those of the endogenous subunits encoded on chromosome 1B. Small-scale mixograph analysis of T₂ seeds from a line expressing the transgene for 1Dx5 indicated that the addition of novel HMW subunits can result in significant improvements in dough strength and stability, thus demonstrating that transformation can be used to modify the functional properties of tritordeum for improved breadmaking. Received: 15 January 1999 / Accepted: 5 February 1999     

Chromosomal control of glutenin subunits in aneuploid lines of wheat: analysis by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary Glutenin subunits from nullisomic-tetrasomic and ditelocentric lines of the hexaploid wheat variety ‘Chinese Spring’ (CS) and from substitution lines of the durum wheat variety ‘Langdon’ were fractionated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) at 70 °C using a gradient of acetonitrile in the presence of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. Nineteen subunits were detected in CS. The presence and amounts of four early-eluted subunits were found, through aneuploid analysis, to be controlled by the long arms of chromosomes 1D (1DL) (peaks 1–2) and 1B (1BL) (peaks 3–4). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that these four subunits are the high molecular weight subunits of glutenin, which elute in the order 1Dy, 1Dx, 1By, and 1Bx. Similar amounts of 1DL subunits were present (6.3 and 8.8% of total glutenin), but 1BL subunits differed more in abundance (5.4 and 9.5%, respectively). Results indicate that most late-eluting CS glutenin subunits were coded by structural genes on the short arms of homoeologous group 1 chromosomes: 6 by 1DS, 5 by 1AS, and 4 by 1BS. Glutenin of tetraploid ‘Langdon’ durum wheat separated into nine major subunits: 6 were coded by genes on 1B chromosomes, and 3 on 1A chromosomes. Gene locations for glutenin subunits in the tetraploid durum varieties ‘Edmore’ and ‘Kharkovskaya-5’ are also given. These results should make RP-HPLC a powerful tool for qualitative and quantitative genetic studies of wheat glutenin. The mention of firm names or trade products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over other firms or similar products not mentioned Stationed at the Northern Regional Research Center, Peoria.     

Characterization of two HMW glutenin subunit genes from Taenitherum Nevski

The compositions of high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin subunits from three species of Taenitherum Nevski (TaTa, 2n = 2x = 14), Ta. caput-medusae, Ta. crinitum and Ta. asperum, were investigated by SDS-PAGE analysis. The electrophoresis mobility of the x-type HMW glutenin subunits were slower or equal to that of wheat HMW glutenin subunit Dx2, and the electrophoresis mobility of the y-type subunits were faster than that of wheat HMW glutenin subunit Dy12. Two HMW glutenin genes, designated as Tax and Tay, were isolated from Ta. crinitum, and their complete nucleotide coding sequences were determined. Sequencing and multiple sequences alignment suggested that the HMW glutenin subunits derived from Ta. crinitum had the similar structures to the HMW glutenin subunits from wheat and related species with a signal peptide, and N- and C-conservative domains flanking by a repetitive domain consisted of the repeated short peptide motifs. However, the encoding sequences of Tax and Tay had some novel modification compared with the HMW glutenin genes reported so far: (1) A short peptide with the consensus sequences of KGGSFYP, which was observed in the N-terminal of all known HMW glutenin genes, was absent in Tax; (2) There is a specified short peptide tandem of tripeptide, hexapeptide and nonapeptide and three tandem of tripeptide in the repetitive domain of Tax; (3) The amino acid residues number is 105 (an extra Q presented) but not 104 in the N-terminal of Tay, which was similar to most of y-type HMW glutenin genes from Elytrigia elongata and Crithopsis delileana. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Tax subunit was mostly related to Ax1, Cx, Ux and Dx5, and Tay was more related to Ay, Cy and Ry.     

云南铁壳麦高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基组成及其遗传多样性分析

以36份云南铁壳麦为试验材料,采用SDS-PAGE法分析了Glu-1位点编码的高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基(HMW-GS)及组成。结果表明,在Glu-A1位点上检测到3种(N,2*和1)亚基类型,Glu-B1位点上共检测到5种(7、7 8、17 18、13 16和6 8)亚基类型,Glu-D1位点上只检测到1种(2 12)亚基类型。共检测到6种亚基组成类型,即:N、7、2 12,N、7 8、2 12,2*、7 8、2 12,2*、17 18、2 12,1、6 8、2 12和1、13 16、2 12。云南铁壳麦的HMW-GS为普通小麦已知变异类型的18%,3个位点的Nei's遗传变异系数顺序为Glu-B1(0.5734)>Glu-A1(0.2484)>Glu-D1(0),表明云南铁壳麦属较原始类型,Glu-D1位点未发生变异。品质评分最高分为8分(3份材料),平均为5.2分。同时86%的云南铁壳麦具有适合制作优质手工馒头的高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基(N和2 12),42%的云南铁壳麦具有亚基组成类型(1、7 8、2 12和N、7 8、2 12),这些材料可作为云南小麦馒头品质改良的材料。