1
|
Oliver SL, Yobi A, Flint-Garcia S, Angelovici R. Reducing Acrylamide Formation Potential by Targeting Free Asparagine Accumulation in Seeds. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:6089-6095. [PMID: 38483189 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c09547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Acrylamide is a probable carcinogen in humans and is formed when reducing sugars react with free asparagine (Asn) during thermal processing of food. Although breeding for low reducing sugars worked well in potatoes, it is less successful in cereals. However, reducing free Asn in cereals has great potential for reducing acrylamide formation, despite the role that Asn plays in nitrogen transport and amino acid biosynthesis. In this perspective, we summarize the efforts aimed at reducing free Asn in cereal grains and discuss the potentials and challenges associated with targeting this essential amino acid, especially in a seed-specific manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Oliver
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Abou Yobi
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Sherry Flint-Garcia
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Ruthie Angelovici
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kaur N, Halford NG. Reducing the Risk of Acrylamide and Other Processing Contaminant Formation in Wheat Products. Foods 2023; 12:3264. [PMID: 37685197 PMCID: PMC10486470 DOI: 10.3390/foods12173264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Wheat is a staple crop, consumed worldwide as a major source of starch and protein. Global intake of wheat has increased in recent years, and overall, wheat is considered to be a healthy food, particularly when products are made from whole grains. However, wheat is almost invariably processed before it is consumed, usually via baking and/or toasting, and this can lead to the formation of toxic processing contaminants, including acrylamide, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Acrylamide is principally formed from free (soluble, non-protein) asparagine and reducing sugars (glucose, fructose and maltose) within the Maillard reaction and is classified as a Group 2A carcinogen (probably carcinogenic to humans). It also has neurotoxic and developmental effects at high doses. HMF is also generated within the Maillard reaction but can also be formed via the dehydration of fructose or caramelisation. It is frequently found in bread, biscuits, cookies, and cakes. Its molecular structure points to genotoxicity and carcinogenic risks. PAHs are a large class of chemical compounds, many of which are genotoxic, mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic. They are mostly formed during frying, baking and grilling due to incomplete combustion of organic matter. Production of these processing contaminants can be reduced with changes in recipe and processing parameters, along with effective quality control measures. However, in the case of acrylamide and HMF, their formation is also highly dependent on the concentrations of precursors in the grain. Here, we review the synthesis of these contaminants, factors impacting their production and the mitigation measures that can be taken to reduce their formation in wheat products, focusing on the role of genetics and agronomy. We also review the risk management measures adopted by food safety authorities around the world.
Collapse
|
3
|
Elsharawy H, Refat M. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in wheat: enhancing quality and productivity for global food security-a review. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:265. [PMID: 37541970 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01190-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important cereal crop that is grown all over the world for food and industrial purposes. Wheat is essential to the human diet due to its rich content of necessary amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and calories. Various wheat breeding techniques have been utilized to improve its quality, productivity, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress impairing production. However, these techniques are expensive, demanding, and time-consuming. Additionally, these techniques need multiple generations to provide the desired results, and the improved traits could be lost over time. To overcome these challenges, researchers have developed various genome editing tools to improve the quality and quantity of cereal crops, including wheat. Genome editing technologies evolve quickly. Nowadays, single or multiple mutations can be enabled and targeted at specific loci in the plant genome, allowing controlled removal of undesirable features or insertion of advantageous ones. Clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) is a powerful genome editing tool that can be effectively used for precise genome editing of wheat and other crops. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of this technology's potential applications to enhance wheat's quality and productivity. It will first explore the function of CRISPR/Cas9 in preserving the adaptive immunity of prokaryotic organisms, followed by a discussion of its current applications in wheat breeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hany Elsharawy
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Moath Refat
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Disease of Ministry of Education, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong, University, Xi'an, 710061, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Huang Y, Wang H, Zhu Y, Huang X, Li S, Wu X, Zhao Y, Bao Z, Qin L, Jin Y, Cui Y, Ma G, Xiao Q, Wang Q, Wang J, Yang X, Liu H, Lu X, Larkins BA, Wang W, Wu Y. THP9 enhances seed protein content and nitrogen-use efficiency in maize. Nature 2022; 612:292-300. [PMID: 36385527 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05441-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Teosinte, the wild ancestor of maize (Zea mays subsp. mays), has three times the seed protein content of most modern inbreds and hybrids, but the mechanisms that are responsible for this trait are unknown1,2. Here we use trio binning to create a contiguous haplotype DNA sequence of a teosinte (Zea mays subsp. parviglumis) and, through map-based cloning, identify a major high-protein quantitative trait locus, TEOSINTE HIGH PROTEIN 9 (THP9), on chromosome 9. THP9 encodes an asparagine synthetase 4 enzyme that is highly expressed in teosinte, but not in the B73 inbred, in which a deletion in the tenth intron of THP9-B73 causes incorrect splicing of THP9-B73 transcripts. Transgenic expression of THP9-teosinte in B73 significantly increased the seed protein content. Introgression of THP9-teosinte into modern maize inbreds and hybrids greatly enhanced the accumulation of free amino acids, especially asparagine, throughout the plant, and increased seed protein content without affecting yield. THP9-teosinte seems to increase nitrogen-use efficiency, which is important for promoting a high yield under low-nitrogen conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongcai Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Haihai Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yidong Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xingguo Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China
| | - Zhigui Bao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Qin
- Institute of Molecular Breeding for Maize, Qilu Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Yongbo Jin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yahui Cui
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangjin Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiao Xiao
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiechen Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuerong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China
| | - Hongjun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China
| | - Xiaoduo Lu
- Institute of Molecular Breeding for Maize, Qilu Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Brian A Larkins
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Wenqin Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yongrui Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Halford NG, Raffan S, Oddy J. Progress towards the production of potatoes and cereals with low acrylamide-forming potential. Curr Opin Food Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2022.100887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
6
|
Pietropaoli F, Pantalone S, Cichelli A, d'Alessandro N. Acrylamide in widely consumed foods - a review. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess 2022; 39:853-887. [PMID: 35286246 DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2022.2046292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Acrylamide (AA) is considered genotoxic, neurotoxic and a 'probable human carcinogen'. It is included in group 2 A of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The formation of AA occurs when starch-based foods are subjected to temperatures higher than 120 °C in an atmosphere with very low water content. The aim of this review is to shed light on the toxicological aspects of AA, showing its regulatory evolution, and describing the most interesting mitigation techniques for each food category involved, with a focus on compliance with EU legislation in the various classes of consumer products of industrial origin in Europe.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pietropaoli
- Department of Innovative Technology in Medicine and Dentistry, University "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy
| | - Sara Pantalone
- Department of Engineering and Geology, University "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy
| | - Angelo Cichelli
- Department of Innovative Technology in Medicine and Dentistry, University "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy
| | - Nicola d'Alessandro
- Department of Engineering and Geology, University "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Peng Y, Zhao Y, Yu Z, Zeng J, Xu D, Dong J, Ma W. Wheat Quality Formation and Its Regulatory Mechanism. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:834654. [PMID: 35432421 PMCID: PMC9006054 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.834654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Elucidation of the composition, functional characteristics, and formation mechanism of wheat quality is critical for the sustainable development of wheat industry. It is well documented that wheat processing quality is largely determined by its seed storage proteins including glutenins and gliadins, which confer wheat dough with unique rheological properties, making it possible to produce a series of foods for human consumption. The proportion of different gluten components has become an important target for wheat quality improvement. In many cases, the processing quality of wheat is closely associated with the nutritional value and healthy effect of the end-products. The components of wheat seed storage proteins can greatly influence wheat quality and some can even cause intestinal inflammatory diseases or allergy in humans. Genetic and environmental factors have great impacts on seed storage protein synthesis and accumulation, and fertilization and irrigation strategies also greatly affect the seed storage protein content and composition, which together determine the final end-use quality of wheat. This review summarizes the recent progress in research on the composition, function, biosynthesis, and regulatory mechanism of wheat storage proteins and their impacts on wheat end-product quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanchun Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Crop Germplasm and Genetic Improvement, Food Crops Institute, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yun Zhao
- College of Agronomy, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
- Food Futures Institute and College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Zitong Yu
- Food Futures Institute and College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Jianbin Zeng
- College of Agronomy, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Dengan Xu
- College of Agronomy, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Dong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Crop Germplasm and Genetic Improvement, Food Crops Institute, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Wujun Ma
- College of Agronomy, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
- Food Futures Institute and College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Wujun Ma,
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mapping Resistance to Argentinean Fusarium ( Graminearum) Head Blight Isolates in Wheat. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413653. [PMID: 34948450 PMCID: PMC8707622 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat, caused by Fusarium graminearum (Schwabe), is a destructive disease worldwide, reducing wheat yield and quality. To accelerate the improvement of scab tolerance in wheat, we assessed the International Triticeae Mapping Initiative mapping population (ITMI/MP) for Type I and II resistance against a wide population of Argentinean isolates of F. graminearum. We discovered a total of 27 additive QTLs on ten different (2A, 2D, 3B, 3D, 4B, 4D, 5A, 5B, 5D and 6D) wheat chromosomes for Type I and Type II resistances explaining a maximum of 15.99% variation. Another four and two QTLs for thousand kernel weight in control and for Type II resistance, respectively, involved five different chromosomes (1B, 2D, 6A, 6D and 7D). Furthermore, three, three and five QTLs for kernel weight per spike in control, for Type I resistance and for Type II resistance, correspondingly, involved ten chromosomes (2A, 2D, 3B, 4A, 5A, 5B, 6B, 7A, 7B, 7D). We were also able to detect five and two epistasis pairs of QTLs for Type I and Type II resistance, respectively, in addition to additive QTLs that evidenced that FHB resistance in wheat is controlled by a complex network of additive and epistasis QTLs.
Collapse
|
9
|
Raffan S, Sparks C, Huttly A, Hyde L, Martignago D, Mead A, Hanley SJ, Wilkinson PA, Barker G, Edwards KJ, Curtis TY, Usher S, Kosik O, Halford NG. Wheat with greatly reduced accumulation of free asparagine in the grain, produced by CRISPR/Cas9 editing of asparagine synthetase gene TaASN2. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:1602-1613. [PMID: 33638281 PMCID: PMC8384593 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Free asparagine is the precursor for acrylamide, which forms during the baking, toasting and high-temperature processing of foods made from wheat. In this study, CRISPR/Cas9 was used to knock out the asparagine synthetase gene, TaASN2, of wheat (Triticum aestivum) cv. Cadenza. A 4-gRNA polycistronic gene was introduced into wheat embryos by particle bombardment and plants were regenerated. T1 plants derived from 11 of 14 T0 plants were shown to carry edits. Most edits were deletions (up to 173 base pairs), but there were also some single base pair insertions and substitutions. Editing continued beyond the T1 generation. Free asparagine concentrations in the grain of plants carrying edits in all six TaASN2 alleles (both alleles in each genome) were substantially reduced compared with wildtype, with one plant showing a more than 90 % reduction in the T2 seeds. A plant containing edits only in the A genome alleles showed a smaller reduction in free asparagine concentration in the grain, but the concentration was still lower than in wildtype. Free asparagine concentration in the edited plants was also reduced as a proportion of the free amino acid pool. Free asparagine concentration in the T3 seeds remained substantially lower in the edited lines than wildtype, although it was higher than in the T2 seeds, possibly due to stress. In contrast, the concentrations of free glutamine, glutamate and aspartate were all higher in the edited lines than wildtype. Low asparagine seeds showed poor germination but this could be overcome by exogenous application of asparagine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Raffan
- Department of Plant SciencesRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
| | | | - Alison Huttly
- Department of Plant SciencesRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
| | - Lucy Hyde
- Department of Plant SciencesRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address:
School of Biological SciencesLife Sciences BuildingUniversity of Bristol24 Tyndall AvenueBristolBS8 1TQUK
| | - Damiano Martignago
- Department of Plant SciencesRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address:
Department of BiosciencesUniversity of MilanVia Celoria 26Milano20133Italy
| | - Andrew Mead
- Department of Computational and Analytical SciencesRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
| | - Steven J. Hanley
- Department of Computational and Analytical SciencesRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
| | - Paul A. Wilkinson
- Functional GenomicsSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Gary Barker
- Functional GenomicsSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Keith J. Edwards
- Functional GenomicsSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Tanya Y. Curtis
- Curtis Analytics LimitedRothamsted Research CampusHarpendenUK
| | - Sarah Usher
- Curtis Analytics LimitedRothamsted Research CampusHarpendenUK
| | - Ondrej Kosik
- Curtis Analytics LimitedRothamsted Research CampusHarpendenUK
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Oddy J, Alarcón-Reverte R, Wilkinson M, Ravet K, Raffan S, Minter A, Mead A, Elmore JS, de Almeida IM, Cryer NC, Halford NG, Pearce S. Reduced free asparagine in wheat grain resulting from a natural deletion of TaASN-B2: investigating and exploiting diversity in the asparagine synthetase gene family to improve wheat quality. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:302. [PMID: 34187359 PMCID: PMC8240372 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03058-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the determinants of free asparagine concentration in wheat grain is necessary to reduce levels of the processing contaminant acrylamide in baked and toasted wheat products. Although crop management strategies can help reduce asparagine concentrations, breeders have limited options to select for genetic variation underlying this trait. Asparagine synthetase enzymes catalyse a critical step in asparagine biosynthesis in plants and, in wheat, are encoded by five homeologous gene triads that exhibit distinct expression profiles. Within this family, TaASN2 genes are highly expressed during grain development but TaASN-B2 is absent in some varieties. RESULTS Natural genetic diversity in the asparagine synthetase gene family was assessed in different wheat varieties revealing instances of presence/absence variation and other polymorphisms, including some predicted to affect the function of the encoded protein. The presence and absence of TaASN-B2 was determined across a range of UK and global common wheat varieties and related species, showing that the deletion encompassing this gene was already present in some wild emmer wheat genotypes. Expression profiling confirmed that TaASN2 transcripts were only detectable in the grain, while TaASN3.1 genes were highly expressed during the early stages of grain development. TaASN-A2 was the most highly expressed TaASN2 homeologue in most assayed wheat varieties. TaASN-B2 and TaASN-D2 were expressed at similar, lower levels in varieties possessing TaASN-B2. Expression of TaASN-A2 and TaASN-D2 did not increase to compensate for the absence of TaASN-B2, so total TaASN2 expression was lower in varieties lacking TaASN-B2. Consequently, free asparagine concentrations in field-produced grain were, on average, lower in varieties lacking TaASN-B2, although the effect was lost when free asparagine accumulated to very high concentrations as a result of sulphur deficiency. CONCLUSIONS Selecting wheat genotypes lacking the TaASN-B2 gene may be a simple and rapid way for breeders to reduce free asparagine concentrations in commercial wheat grain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Oddy
- Plant Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ UK
| | - Rocío Alarcón-Reverte
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Mark Wilkinson
- Plant Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ UK
| | - Karl Ravet
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Sarah Raffan
- Plant Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ UK
| | - Andrea Minter
- Computational and Analytical Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ UK
| | - Andrew Mead
- Computational and Analytical Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ UK
| | - J. Stephen Elmore
- Department of Food & Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6DZ UK
| | | | - Nicholas C. Cryer
- Mondelēz UK R&D Ltd, Bournville Lane, Bournville, Birmingham, B30 2LU UK
| | - Nigel G. Halford
- Plant Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ UK
| | - Stephen Pearce
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| |
Collapse
|