Abstract:

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) glutelin accounts for about 80% of total seed storage protein. Glutelin can be easily digested by human and contains high concentrations of lysine and other essential amino acids. To improve the nutritional quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), the cDNA sequence of rice glutelin gene GluA-2 was introduced into common wheat through biolistic bombardment. Six hundreds of immature embryos from wheat cultivar Bobwhite (T. aestivum cv. Bobwhite) were bombarded. Four transgenic plants carrying GluA-2 gene were confirmed by PCR and Southern blotting analyses. Gene GluA-2 was translated in three of the transgenic plants and their progeny, as indicated by SDS-PAGE analyses. The expression of GluA-2 gene was not detected in one transgenic plant and the endogenous wheat high molecular weight glutenin subunits Bx7 and By9 contents decreased greatly in both T₀ and T₁ generations.

Key words: rice glutelin gene GluA-2 , wheat transformation, nutrient quality improvement