Effect of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits silencing on dough aggregation characteristics

The qualities of wheat dough are influenced by the high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS), a critical component of wheat gluten protein. However, it is still unknown how HMW-GS silencing affects the aggregation characteristics of dough. Two groups of near-isogenic wheat were used to study the effects of HMW-GS silencing on dough aggregation characteristics, dough texture characteristics, and dough microstructure. It was observed that the content of gliadin in LH-11 strain significantly increased compared to the wild-type (WT). Additionally, the amount of glutenin macropolymer and the glutenin/gliadin both decreased. The aggregation characteristics and rheological characteristics of the dough in LH-11 strain were significantly reduced, and the content of β-sheet in the dough was significantly reduced. The HMW-GS silencing resulted in a reduction in the aggregation of the gluten network in the dough, which related to the alteration of the secondary and microstructure of the gluten.