TRANSFORMATION OF WHEAT WITH HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT SUBUNIT GENES RESULTS IN IMPROVED FUNCTIONAL-PROPERTIES

The high molecular weight (HMW) subunits of wheat glutenin are major d eterminants of the elastic properties of gluten that allow the use of wheat doughs to make bread, pasta, and a range of other foods. There a re both quantitative and qualitative effects of HMW subunits on the qu ality of the grain, the former being related to differences in the num ber of expressed HMW subunit genes. We have transformed bread wheat in order to increase the proportions of the HMW subunits and improve the functional properties of the flour A range of transgene expression le vels was obtained with some of the novel subunits present at considera bly higher levels than the endogenous subunits. Analysis of T-2 seeds expressing transgenes for one or two additional HMW subunits showed st epwise increases in dough elasticity, demonstrating the improvement of the functional properties of wheat by genetic engineering.