Production of high quality durum wheat having increased amylose content
Inventors
Assignees
Montana State University Bozeman
Publication Number
US-9439447-B2
Publication Date
2016-09-13
Expiration Date
2033-10-23
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Abstract
The present invention provides compositions and methods of altering/improving Durum wheat phenotypes. Furthermore, methods of breeding Durum wheat and/or other closely related species to produce plants having altered or improved phenotypes are provided.
Core Innovation
The present invention provides compositions and methods for producing durum wheat grain with increased amylose content by introducing one or more mutations in starch synthesis genes, specifically in the starch granule protein-A1 (SGP-A1) and starch granule protein-B1 (SGP-B1) genes. These mutations can include deletions, such as a 29 bp deletion in the first exon of SGP-A1, and specific amino acid substitutions in SGP-B1, such as aspartic acid to asparagine at amino acid positions 327 and 622. The resulting mutant durum wheat lines exhibit elevated amylose content in the grain starch compared to wild-type varieties.
The problem addressed by the invention is the lack of effective methods and genetic resources for increasing amylose content in durum wheat, especially given that most efforts have focused on bread wheat, and the impacts of small amylose increases in durum wheat on end product quality have not been well understood. The invention responds to the need for compositions and methods to modify amylose levels in durum wheat to improve end product properties for food applications such as pasta and noodles.
Through conventional plant breeding and/or molecular methodologies, including mutagenesis and marker-assisted selection, the invention enables the development of high-amylose durum wheat. The grains produced from these mutant plants demonstrate altered starch properties, such as increased dietary fiber, resistant starch, and protein content. The innovation further includes methods for producing milled products, flour, and starch from the high-amylose grain, as well as processes for using these ingredients in foods with enhanced nutritional properties.
Claims Coverage
The claims of this patent define several inventive features, including the genetic identity of high amylose durum wheat, methods of preparing milled products, and their nutritional properties.
High amylose grain from durum wheat with specific SGP-A1 and SGP-B1 mutations
A high amylose grain produced from a durum wheat plant comprising: - One or more mutations in the starch granule protein-B1 (SGP-B1) gene leading to an amino acid substitution from aspartic acid to asparagine at amino acid position 327 and/or 622 of SEQ ID No. 6. - One or more mutations in the starch granule protein-A1 (SGP-A1) gene, such as a deletion in the first exon (e.g., a 29 bp deletion as found in PI-330546 and IG-86304 wheat lines). - The mutations may comprise nucleotide substitutions at positions 979 and/or 1864 of the protein coding portion of reference sequence SEQ ID No. 5.
High amylose content measured in the durum wheat grain
The high amylose grain has a proportion of amylose in the starch greater than about 38% as measured by differential scanning calorimetry analysis, and the content is at least 25% or 35% higher than appropriate reference durum wheat grown under similar conditions.
Method for producing milled products from high amylose grain
A method comprising milling the high amylose grain described above to produce a milled product. These milled products may further be processed to produce dried pasta.
Milled products with enhanced nutritional properties
The milled product produced from the high amylose grain: - Has protein content greater than about 17%, or an increased protein content at least 15% or 25% higher than a comparable milled product from reference durum wheat. - Has dietary fiber content greater than about 3%, with increases of at least 50% or 130% in dietary fiber over reference durum wheat. - Has resistant starch content greater than about 2%, and increases of at least 100% or 200% over reference durum wheat in resistant starch content.
The inventive features span the identification of particular mutations in key starch synthesis genes in durum wheat that yield high amylose grain, as well as methods for producing and characterizing milled food products derived from such grain with significantly improved fiber, protein, and resistant starch content.
Stated Advantages
The high amylose durum wheat grain has increased dietary fiber content compared to wild-type durum wheat.
Pasta and noodles made from the mutant grain have increased firmness and greater resistance to overcooking.
Milled products and flour produced from the high amylose grain have increased protein content.
Food products produced from the mutant grain exhibit reduced glycemic index.
There is higher resistant starch content in both grain and resultant food products, which can lead to potential health benefits.
The increased dietary fiber and resistant starch can improve overall colon health and decrease sugar release during digestion.
Products made from the high amylose grain may have improved nutritional value and potentially support increased satiety and insulin sensitivity.
Documented Applications
Use in production of pasta and noodles with increased firmness and resistance to overcooking.
Manufacture of milled products such as flour and dried pasta with elevated dietary fiber, protein, and resistant starch content.
Application in foods with reduced glycemic index, suitable for health-conscious consumers.
Integration into wheat breeding programs for improving the nutritional profiles of durum wheat cultivars.
Utilization in the replacement of standard wheat flour or starch to produce bread, muffins, buns, tortillas, pizza dough, breakfast cereals, cookies, waffles, bagels, biscuits, snack foods, brownies, pretzels, rolls, cakes, and crackers with improved nutritional features.
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