Designing cereal seeds for nutrition and health
Lead Research Organisation:
Rothamsted Research
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The project will deliver lines of wheat with increased benefits for human health, focusing on two important traits: dietary fibre and mineral micronutrients.
Dietary Fibre:
The major dietary fibre components in wholegrain wheat and white flour are cell wall polysaccharides, arabinoxylan (AX) and ß-glucan. The objectives of the research in this area are to:
1. Determine the extent of genetic variation and genetic control of the content and composition in wheat to identify sources of variation for exploitation in breeding
2. Produce wheat lines with defined differences in endosperm cell wall composition, by identifying key synthetic genes and, using transgenesis or mutagenesis, modify their expression. We will then compare the location of these genes with QTLs for dietary fibre.
3. Characterise these transgenic wheat lines to determine the properties for specific end uses: human health, livestock feed and biofuels/distilling
4. Exploit information gained from manipulation of wheat endosperm cell walls to build a model of genes responsible for synthesis and feruloylation of xylan in grasses.
Mineral micronutrients:
Studies on mineral micronutrients will focus on increasing the contents of bioavailable iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in wheat. The objectives are to:
1. Exploit natural genetic variation in Fe and Zn concentrations and determine the chemical speciation in wheat grain.
2. Determine QTLs associated with Fe/Zn concentrations using double haploid populations grown in different seasons/locations with different levels of N.
3. Enhance Fe/Zn concentrations and/or bioavailability in wheat endosperm by transformation with candidate genes involved in their transport to and deposition in the grain.
4. Determine Fe/Zn chemical species and bioavailability in transgenic wheat.
Dietary Fibre:
The major dietary fibre components in wholegrain wheat and white flour are cell wall polysaccharides, arabinoxylan (AX) and ß-glucan. The objectives of the research in this area are to:
1. Determine the extent of genetic variation and genetic control of the content and composition in wheat to identify sources of variation for exploitation in breeding
2. Produce wheat lines with defined differences in endosperm cell wall composition, by identifying key synthetic genes and, using transgenesis or mutagenesis, modify their expression. We will then compare the location of these genes with QTLs for dietary fibre.
3. Characterise these transgenic wheat lines to determine the properties for specific end uses: human health, livestock feed and biofuels/distilling
4. Exploit information gained from manipulation of wheat endosperm cell walls to build a model of genes responsible for synthesis and feruloylation of xylan in grasses.
Mineral micronutrients:
Studies on mineral micronutrients will focus on increasing the contents of bioavailable iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in wheat. The objectives are to:
1. Exploit natural genetic variation in Fe and Zn concentrations and determine the chemical speciation in wheat grain.
2. Determine QTLs associated with Fe/Zn concentrations using double haploid populations grown in different seasons/locations with different levels of N.
3. Enhance Fe/Zn concentrations and/or bioavailability in wheat endosperm by transformation with candidate genes involved in their transport to and deposition in the grain.
4. Determine Fe/Zn chemical species and bioavailability in transgenic wheat.
Planned Impact
unavailable
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Peter Shewry (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Corol DI
(2016)
(1)H-NMR screening for the high-throughput determination of genotype and environmental effects on the content of asparagine in wheat grain.
in Plant biotechnology journal
Brouns F
(2015)
A call to action - the cereal foods industry must share responsibility for public health
in Milling and Grain
Bromilow S
(2017)
A curated gluten protein sequence database to support development of proteomics methods for determination of gluten in gluten-free foods.
in Journal of proteomics
Mosleth EF
(2015)
A novel approach to identify genes that determine grain protein deviation in cereals.
in Plant biotechnology journal
Wan Y
(2013)
A novel family of ?-gliadin genes are highly regulated by nitrogen supply in developing wheat grain.
in Journal of experimental botany
Shewry P
(2014)
AACCI Centennial Scientific Milestones: Proteins
in Cereal Foods World
Chen ZC
(2013)
Adaptation to acidic soil is achieved by increased numbers of cis-acting elements regulating ALMT1 expression in Holcus lanatus.
in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
Mitchell R
(2015)
Advances in Wheat Genetics: From Genome to Field
Poblaciones MJ
(2014)
Agronomic selenium biofortification in Triticum durum under Mediterranean conditions: from grain to cooked pasta.
in Food chemistry
Liu Y
(2013)
Assessing the contributions of lateral roots to element uptake in rice using an auxin-related lateral root mutant
in Plant and Soil
| Description | Identified genetic sources of high dietary fibre wheat for improved human health Identified genes controlling fibre synthesis in wheat and characterised them by RNAi knock out in transgenic plants Determined new information of mechanism of action of fibre in reducing the rate of glucose release during digestion of bread |
| Exploitation Route | With breeders and food processors, supported by TSB and BBSRC |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Healthcare |
| Description | VAUGHAN: RRes-BecAILRI workshop strengthening links with the Plant Signalling and Livestock Programmes |
| Amount | £33,400 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/GCRF-IAA/18 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2016 |
| End | 02/2017 |