Regulation of prolamin accumulation in genetically defined triticale

Abstract

Prolamin accumulation patterns were determined in wheat, (cv. Chinese Spring), two inbred rye lines (M59D and M164gB) and the octaploid triticale lines generated by crossing the above lines. Prolamins were separated via SDS-PAGE, and their relative proportions were estimated by densitometry. Chinese spring prolamins accumulated co-ordinately (i.e. individual prolamin proportions did not change relative to each other throughout development), but within both rye lines differential accumulation (individual prolamin proportions changing relative to each other, through development) was observed. Within both triticale lines analysed, the expected differential expression of rye prolamins was suppressed with all prolamins being accumulated co-ordinately. It is suggested that the malleability of rye prolamin gene expression (ability to exhibit co-ordinate or differential accumulation patterns) indicates that the differential accumulation observed in the inbred lines may be due to post-transcriptional factors.