Low‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits from the 1U genome of Aegilops umbellulata confer superior dough rheological properties and improve breadmaking quality of bread wheat

BACKGROUND Wheat‐related genomes may carry new glutenin genes with the potential for quality improvement of breadmaking. In this study, we estimated the gluten quality properties of the wheat line CNU609 derived from crossing between Chinese Spring (CS, Triticum aestivum L., 2n = 6x = 42, AABBDD) and the wheat Aegilops umbellulata (2n = 2x = 14, UU) 1U(1B) substitution line, and investigated the function of 1U‐encoded low‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits (LMW‐GS). RESULTS The main quality parameters of CNU609 were significantly improved due to introgression of the 1U genome, including dough development time, stability time, farinograph quality number, gluten index, loaf size and inner structure. Glutenin analysis showed that CNU609 and CS had the same high‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunit (HMW‐GS) composition, but CNU609 carried eight specific 1U genome‐encoded LMW‐GS. The introgression of the 1U‐encoded LMW‐GS led to more and larger protein body formation in the CNU609 endosperm. Two new LMW‐m type genes from the 1U genome, designated Glu‐U3a and Glu‐U3b, were cloned and characterized. Secondary structure prediction implied that both Glu‐U3a and Glu‐U3b encode subunits with high α‐helix and β‐strand content that could benefit the formation of superior gluten structure. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that the 1U genome has superior LMW‐GS that can be used as new gene resources for wheat gluten quality improvement. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry