COMPARISON OF GLIADIN AND GLUTENIN SUBUNITS IN THE TRITICINAE BY SDS-POLYACRYLAMIDE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

Abstract

Protein subunits obtained by reduction of gliadin and glutenin from Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell. (AABBDD), Triticum monococcum L. (AA), Aegilops squarrosa L. (DD) and Secale cereale L. (RR) were examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Seven of the twelve gliadin subunits and nine of the fifteen glutenin subunits present in T. aestivum had molecular weights (MW’s) similar to subunits present in both T. monococcum and A. squarrosa. An additional five gliadin and five glutenin subunits present in T. aestivum had MW’s similar to subunits present in T. monococcum or A. squarrosa. S. cereale had a lower number of gliadin and glutenin subunits. However, three of four gliadin subunits and eight of nine glutenin subunits had MW’s similar to subunits present in the Triticum–Aegilops groups. These results have been used to consider evolutionary relationships in the Triticinae.