Characterisation of a specific class of typical low molecular weight glutenin subunits of durum wheat by a proteomic approach

Glutenin polymers are formed by high (HMW-GS) and low molecular weight glutenin subunits (LMWGS). The latter group of subunits has been less characterised compared to the former due to their great number and heterogeneity. In order to gain more information on the LMW-GS, we have used a durum wheat line carrying a 1BL.1RS translocation, in which the short arm of the chromosome 1B is replaced by the short arm of the chromosome 1R of rye. This line was obtained using the durum wheat cultivar Cando, in which the translocation is present, crossed and back-crossed four times with the Italian durum wheat cultivar Svevo. Comparative electrophoretic and mass spectrometric analyses carried out on LMW-GS prepared from the durum wheat cultivar Svevo and the line carrying the 1BL.1RS translocation have provided further information on these complex group of proteins. In particular, all the three types of typical LMWGS (LMW-s, LMW-m and LMW-i) were identified in Svevo, whereas the latter group is the only one present in the line with the 1BL.1RS translocation, thus confirming previous findings of the association of the LMW-i type subunits with genes present on chromosome 1A.