Seed Storage Protein Profiles of Seven Indian Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties

Seed storage protein profiles, including triticin, gliadin and glutenin, of seven Indian wheat varieties were investigated using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel eletrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). A strategy was developed for half-seed analysis of the three seed storage protein classes. The results are presented in the form of a key for Identification of these varieties based on their seed protein composition. A minimum of 10 seeds of each variety were analysed to check for possible intravarietal heterogeneity, and all the varieties except HUW-12 were homogeneous. The HUW-12 was a mixture of two ‘biotypes’ with respect to the low molecular weight (LMW) glutenin subunits coded by the Glu-A3locus. The varieties were also analysed for the presence of rye chromatin using a rye-specific repetitive DNA probe (pAW-161), and two of the recently released varieties HUW-206 and HUW-318 were found to possess rye chromatin. Based on the DNA dot-blot results, presence of rye secalins and the absence of chromosome IB-specific gliadins it was concluded that these two varieties possess 1BL-1RS wheat-rye translocation. Both of these varieties also have high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin subunits 5 + 10 which may be necessary for compensating the loss of dough strength associated with the wheat-rye translocations.