Genetic aspects of wheat gliadin proteins

Inheritance of gliadin components unique to three different varieties of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was studied in F1 and F2 seeds of intervarietal crosses using protein patterns obtained by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in aluminum lactate buffer (pH 3.2). The patterns of F1 seeds of the crosses Cheyenne X Justin and INIA 66R X Justin evidenced all the bands present in the patterns of the parents; band intensities reflected gene dosage levels dependent on whether the contributing parent was maternal or paternal in accordance with the triploid nature of endosperm tissue. Most of the gliadin components examined segregated in accordance with control by a single dominant gene, but in two instances single bands in the one-dimensional electrophoretic patterns segregated in the F2 as expected if controlled by two genes. A method of two-dimensional electrophoresis was developed that resolved these apparently single bands into two components each, which could segregate independently. Linkage analysis provided evidence of codominant alleles and closely linked genes coding for gliadin protein components in both coupling and repulsion situations. The gliadin protein components seem to be coded for by clusters of genes located on chromosomes of homoeologous groups 1 and 6 in hexaploid wheats.