Abstract
Durum wheat is one of most important cereal crops that serves as a staple dietary component for humans and domestic animals. It provides antioxidants, proteins, minerals and dietary fibre, which have beneficial properties for humans, especially as related to the health of gut microbiota. Dietary fibre is defined as carbohydrate polymers that are non-digestible in the small intestine. However, this dietary component can be digested by microorganisms in the large intestine and imparts physiological benefits at daily intake levels of 30–35 g. Dietary fibre in cereal grains largely comprises cell wall polymers and includes insoluble (cellulose, part of the hemicellulose component and lignin) and soluble (arabinoxylans and (1,3;1,4)-β-glucans) fibre. More specifically, certain components provide immunomodulatory and cholesterol lowering activity, faecal bulking effects, enhanced absorption of certain minerals, prebiotic effects and, through these effects, reduce the risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer. Thus, dietary fibre is attracting increasing interest from cereal processors, producers and consumers. Compared with other components of the durum wheat grain, fibre components have not been studied extensively. Here, we have summarised the current status of knowledge on the genetic control of arabinoxylan and (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan synthesis and accumulation in durum wheat grain. Indeed, the recent results obtained in durum wheat open the way for the improvement of these important cereal quality parameters.
Highlights
Cultivated wheats (Triticum spp.), which include several species of the family Poaceae, originated in the Levant region of the Near East [1] and are cultivated worldwide.Cultivated wheats are divided in three main groups based on their genome composition, which can be diploid, tetraploid or hexaploid
Following a recent report that identified CslJ as a gene capable of directing (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan biosynthesis [58], we report for the first time in the current review the location of this gene in the durum material
In durum we found that the CslH gene was expressed mainly in durum endosperm at different developmental stages, at 28 days after pollination (DAP) [73]
Summary
Cultivated wheats (Triticum spp.), which include several species of the family Poaceae, originated in the Levant region of the Near East [1] and are cultivated worldwide. The remaining 5% is the tetraploid (AABB genomes) durum wheat (Triticum turgidum). The latter is often called pasta wheat to reflect its major end-use (pasta, bulgar, couscous and some bread flours) [2] and is typically grown in the Mediterranean area. In the Gran Maghreb and East Africa durum grain is a staple human food in rural areas and its straw is a critical component of domestic animal diets. Thanks to the nutritional properties of cereal grains and due to the modern revolution in the perception of food, durum has gained popularity within health and wellness circles as sources of nutrients and energy that are associated with a number of powerful health benefits, as mentioned above
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