A COMPARATIVE MOLECULAR-GENETIC STUDY OF GLUTELINS IN WHEAT AND ELYMUS

It was demonstrated that seed storage proteins of different Elymus (L. ) species were homologous to the high-molecular-weight (HMW) and low-m olecular-weight (LMW) subunits of wheat glutenin. By means of SDS elec trophoresis in polyacrylamide gel, it was revealed that Elymus sibiric us (genome type SSHH), E. trachycaulus (genome type SSHH), and E. pend ulinus (genome type SSYY) had nomore than HMW glutelinsubunits. Elymus seed proteins that shared immunochemical characteristics with wheat g lutenin were studied by Western blotting. These proteins included both HMW and LMW glutelins, as well as two other proteins (67 and 69 kDa). Southern blotting with a specific oligonucleotide probe was used to p rove that E. trachycaulus and E. pendulinus had loci homologous to loc i encoding HMW glutenin subunits in wheat. It was suggested that E. tr achycaulus (specimen VLA-8602) had a silent allele for HMW glutelins. Possible reasons for the Y silence Phi of this allele are discussed.