Award details

Genetic manipulation of cereal (wheat, barley, tritordeum) grain quality

Reference	BBS/E/C/00014036
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Pilar Barcelo
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Rothamsted Research
Department	Rothamsted Research Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	77,127
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1997
End date	31/03/1999
Duration	24 months

Abstract

This project is directed at the modification of cereal grain quality by the insertion and expression of storage protein genes and other genes influencing grain components in transgenic plants. Work is performed as a close collaboration with Project 823293, (Programme 240). Primary targets of the research are the manipulation of bread-making quality in bread wheat, and pasta- making quality in durum wheat by the expression of high molecular weight glutenin subunit genes. Additional targets include the modification of wheat starch composition by the expression of transgenic biosynthetic enzyme genes and the manipulation of polyamine levels in grain. Transformations are made by standard particle bombardment techniques with grain quality genes being inserted in co-transformations with selectable and scorable markers. Objectives 1996 Tritordeum and wheat: transformations with HMW glutenin subunit genes 1Ax1 and 1Dx5, alone and in combination will be continued and transformants regenerated from previous bombardments until lines confirmed as transformants have been recovered in each of the important genotypes. T1 seed from lines confirmed by PCR analysis to contain HMW subunit genes will be analysed by SDS PAGE (at IACR- LARS) to identify lines with detectable (low, moderate or high) subunit expression. Selected lines will be grown on to give T2 seed which will be analysed for transgene segregation ratios and for the levels of subunit gene expression. A limited number of lines will be chosen to be grown up to provide bulk seed for gluten functionality assays and eventually for micro-scale bread- making tests. Durum wheat: the population of transformants recovered will be screened by PCR to identify lines containing subunit genes and T1 seed from these lines will be examined by SDS PAGE. As above, selected lines will be grown on for detailed expression analysis and subsequent gluten analyses. 1997 Transgenic wheat lines containing HMW glutenin subunit transgenes will be grown in the field at both RES and LARS. These lines will be analysed for the expression of the subunit transgenes and for marker gene expression under field conditions. Bulk grain samples form these lines will allow gluten functionality tests extending the work already done at micro-scale on flour from glasshouse- grown plants. Micro- scale functionality tests will be done (in collaboration with CSIRO, Sydney) on flours from transgenic T.durum and tritordeum lines expressing HMW subunit transgenes. New transformations with the 1Dy10 subunit gene, will start, using the Australian near-isogenic HMW subunit mutant wheat lines used in previous experiments. Transformations aimed at manipulating starch composition and polyamine levels in wheat grains will continue and work on the expression of a maize gamma-zein gene in barley will be initiated.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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