Relations between aggregative, viscoelastic and molecular properties in gluten from genetic variants of bread wheat

Glutens differing in their low- and high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS and HMW-GS) were extracted from genetic variants of bread wheat. Their composition was analysed by electrophoresis, the glutenin size distribution was determined by size-exclusion chromatography. Rheological measurements in the dynamic regime and electron spin resonance spin-labelling experiments gave data on the viscoelasticity and the protein flexibility of the glutens, respectively. In glutens differing in their HMW-GS, a relation is observed between the composition, aggregative properties, segmental flexibility and viscoelastic behaviour. This is not found in glutens with different LMW-GS. However, the proportion of rigid polypeptide segment is related to the height of the elastic plateau in all cases. The organisation of the protein network in gluten is discussed in reference to this data.