Proteome analysis of diploid tetraploid and hexaploid wheat: Towards understanding genome interaction in protein expression

Hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is derived from a complex hybridization procedure involving three diploid species carrying the A, B and D genomes. The proteome patterns of diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid wheat were analyzed to explore the genome interaction in protein expression. At least two species from each of the diploid and tetraploid were used to compare their proteome maps with a hexaploid wheat cv. Chinese Spring. The ancestral cultivars were selected based on their history of closeness with the cultivated wheat. Proteins were extracted from seed flour and separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) with isoelectric focusing of pH range from 4-10. 2-DE maps of cultivated and ancestral species were analyzed by computer assisted image analyzer. The region of high molecular weight glutenin subunits of hexaploid wheat showed similarity with those of the diploid donors, BB and DD genomes. The omega gliadin, which is controlled by B genome in common wheat, was assumed to have evolved as a result of interaction between AA and BB genomes. The low molecular weight glutenins and alpha and beta gliadin regions were contributed by the three genomes. This result suggests that the function of donor genomes particularly in the expression of proteins in hexaploid wheat is not totally independent; rather it is the product of interactions among the diploid genomes in the hexaploid nuclear constitutions. The expression of nonstorage proteins was affected substantially due to the removal of the D genome from hexaploid constitution. Location of the structural gene controlling one of the alpha amylase inhibitor proteins in the nonstorage protein region was identified in the short arm of chromosome 3D.