Control by homoeologous group 1 chromosomes of the high-molecular-weight subunits of glutenin, a major protein of wheat endosperm

Abstract

The electrophoretic mobilities of the high-molecular-weight (HMW) subunits of glutenin from 7 varieties were compared by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). In total, 12 subunits were clearly resolved and they had nominal molecular weights of between 95,000 and 140,000. The chromosomes which control their synthesis were determined using monosomic lines and inter-varietal substitution lines. All subunits were shown to be controlled by the homoeologous group 1 chromosomes. Each variety contains between 3 and 5 HMW subunits; two are under the control of the 1D chromosome, 1 or 2 are controlled by chromosome 1B and 0 or 1 by chromosome 1A. The segregation of two 1D-controlled subunits of similar electrophoretic mobilities were analysed in the F2 progeny of crosses between 'Chinese Spring' and 'Holdfast'. The results suggest that the genes which code for the two proteins are allelic.