High-molecular weight glutenin subunit profiles desirable for making tortillas in eastern US soft winter wheat

Authors: MA, FENGYUN - The Ohio State University; Baik, Byung-Kee

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/13/2025
Publication Date: 2/26/2025
Citation: Ma, F., Baik, B.V. 2025. High-molecular weight glutenin subunit profiles desirable for making tortillas in eastern US soft winter wheat. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 102:586-594. https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.10876.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.10876

Interpretive Summary: High molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs), even though they constitute only about 10% of total wheat protein, have a major influence on gluten strength and the quality of dough-based products requiring gluten development. In our previous study, we observed that eastern US soft winter (ESW) wheat varieties with a high protein content and strong gluten strength were suitable for making tortillas with superior quality characteristics, and ESW wheat varieties carrying different HMW-GS profiles exhibited substantial variations in protein strength. The role and preferrable composition of HMW-GSs in the preparation of tortillas, however, still need to be clarified. We found that HMW-GS composition has significant associations with the tortilla quality attributes of ESW wheat. Protein strength score based on HMW-GS composition showed strong relationships with tortilla quality parameters including diameter, opacity, and rollability scores. Variations in the HMW-GSs from the B and D genomes, but not the A genome, were responsible for the differences in tortilla quality parameters. ESW wheat with increased frequencies of HMW-GSs 7*+8 or 13+16 and 5+10 produced tortillas of enhanced quality. ESW wheat varieties carrying the HMW-GS profile (2*, 7*+8, 5+10) or (1, 13+16, 5+10) produced tortillas of comparable quality to those prepared from commercial tortilla flours. This information provides ESW wheat breeders and tortilla manufacturers with an effective and efficient tool for screening ESW wheat breeding lines and identifying wheat varieties possessing the appropriate protein characteristics for making tortillas using HMW-GS profiles and their genetic markers.

Technical Abstract: BACKGROUND: High-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs) have a major influence on gluten strength and the quality of dough-based products requiring gluten development. Eastern US soft winter (ESW) wheat with a high protein content and strong gluten strength is suitable for making tortillas; however, the role and composition of HMW-GSs in tortilla preparation still need to be clarified. The influence of HMW-GSs on tortilla quality attributes was evaluated using 38 ESW wheat varieties possessing 13 predominant HMW-GS profiles. RESULTS: Protein strength, as indicated by Glu-1 score, shows a negative relationship with tortilla diameter and a positive relationship with opacity and rollability scores, making it desirable for tortilla production. Subunits 7*'+'8 were associated with a small diameter and a high tortilla rollability score. ESW wheat varieties carrying subunits 5'+'10 produced tortillas with a smaller diameter and higher opacity score than those carrying subunits 2'+'12, 2'+'10 or 2'+'121. ESW wheat carrying HMW-GS profile (2*, 7*'+'8, 5'+'10) or (1, 13'+'16, 5'+'10) produced tortillas of comparable quality to those prepared from commercial tortilla flours. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of subunits 7*'+'8 or 13'+'16 at the Glu-B1 locus and subunits 5'+'10 at the Glu-D1 locus in ESW wheat is necessary for making acceptable-quality tortillas. This research provides ESW wheat breeders and tortilla manufacturers with an effective and efficient tool for screening ESW wheat breeding lines and identifying wheat varieties possessing the appropriate protein characteristics for making tortillas using HMW-GS profiles and their genetic markers.