Proteolytic degradation of 50% I-propanol insoluble (50PI) glutenin of six
common wheat cultivars by wheat bug (Eurygaster maura) protease was investi
gated using reversed-phase HPLC. Wheat at the milk-ripe stage was manually
infested with adult bugs. After harvest, bug-damaged kernels were blended (
2:1, kernel basis) with undamaged grain of the same cultivar. Samples of gr
ound wheat were incubated in distilled water for different times (0, 30, 60
, and 120 min). The incubated whole meal samples were subsequently freeze-d
ried and stored until analysis. The degree of proteolytic degradation of 50
PI glutenin was determined based on the quantity of total glutenin subunits
(GS), high molecular weight GS (HMW-GS), and low molecular weight GS (LMW-
GS). For ground wheat samples incubated for greater than or equal to 30 min
, 50PI glutenin was substantially degraded as evidenced by a >80% decrease
on average in total GS, HMW-GS, and LMW-GS. Some cultivars showed different
patterns of glutenin proteolysis as revealed by differences in the ratios
of HMW-GS to LMW-GS between sound and bug-damaged samples; a significant de
crease in this ratio was found for four cultivars. This evidence, combined
with other observations, indicated that there were intercultivar difference
s in polymeric glutenin resistance to the protease of the wheat bug Eurygas
ter maura. While the nature of this resistance is unknown, it should be pos
sible to select and develop wheat cultivars with improved tolerance far whe
at bug damage. Propanol insoluble glutenin, which corresponds to relatively
large glutenin polymers, appears to be an excellent quantitative marker fo
r this purpose.