Abstract
BackgroundBrachypodium distachyon L. is a newly emerging model plant system for temperate cereal crop species. However, its grain protein compositions are still not clear. In the current study, we carried out a detailed proteomics and molecular genetics study on grain glutenin proteins in B. distachyon.ResultsSDS-PAGE and RP-HPLC analysis of grain proteins showed that Brachypodium has few gliadins and high molecular weight glutenin subunits. In contrast the electrophoretic patterns for the albumin, globulin and low molecular weight glutenin subunit (LMW-GS) fractions of the grain protein were similar to those in wheat. In particular, the LMW-C type subunits in Brachypodium were more abundant than the equivalent proteins in common wheat. Southern blotting analysis confirmed that Brachypodium has 4–5 copies of LMW-GS genes. A total of 18 LMW-GS genes were cloned from Brachypodium by allele specific PCR. LMW-GS and 4 deduced amino acid sequences were further confirmed by using Western-blotting and MALDI-TOF-MS. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Brachypodium was closer to Ae. markgrafii and Ae. umbellulata than to T. aestivum.ConclusionsBrachypodium possessed a highly conserved Glu-3 locus that is closely related to Triticum and related species. The presence of LMW-GS in B. distachyon grains indicates that B. distachyon may be used as a model system for studying wheat quality attributes.
Highlights
Brachypodium distachyon L. is a newly emerging model plant system for temperate cereal crop species
The results showed that the SDS electrophoresis patterns of albumins and globulins in B. distachyon accessions as well as their overall amount were generally similar to those of common wheat there were differences in certain protein subunits and expression levels (Figure 1a-c)
low molecular weight glutenin subunit (LMW-GS) as important grain storage proteins in B. distachyon Based on the solubility in a series of solvents, plant proteins are traditionally classified into water-soluble proteins
Summary
Brachypodium distachyon L. is a newly emerging model plant system for temperate cereal crop species. Cereals are the main cultivated crops in agriculture, including rice (Oryza sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), oats (Avena sativa L.), maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). (B. distachyon), a member of the Pooideae subfamily and a temperate wild annual grass endemic to the Mediterranean and Middle East [13], has been rapidly established as a model plant system especially as an experimental model organism for grasses and cereals It possesses many attractive attributes such as small genome (diploid with about 355 Mbp), short growth cycle, self-fertility and simple growth requirements [13,14], as well as competence to be efficiently transformed [15,16,17]. It has facilitated a range of studies in comparative genomics of cereals, including wheat, rice, and even Aegliops species
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