Screening of wheat grains enriched with wall-bound phenolic compounds.

Phenolic compounds are dominant antioxidant factors in whole grains and are essential quality traits in future breeding programs. We proposed a robust set of methods for extraction, screening, and quantitative analysis of soluble and wall-bound (WB) phenolic compounds from fine powder and fine powder products using a 96 Wells UV Flat Bottom and subsequent UHPLC-DAD validation of candidate samples. The plate-UHPLC strategy significantly simplifies the screening of phenolic-enriched grains, reduces the screening cost, saves harmful organic chemicals, and contributes to developing novel health-promoting varieties.

Suppressing ASPARTIC PROTEASE 1 prolongs photosynthesis and increases wheat grain weight.

The elongation of photosynthesis, or functional staygreen, represents a feasible strategy to propel metabolite flux towards cereal kernels. However, achieving this goal remains a challenge in food crops. Here we report the cloning of wheat CO2 assimilation and kernel enhanced 2 (cake2), the mechanism underlying the photosynthesis advantages and natural alleles amenable to breeding elite varieties. A premature stop mutation in the A-genome copy of the ASPARTIC PROTEASE 1 (APP-A1) gene increased the photosynthesis rate and yield. APP1 bound and degraded PsbO, the protective extrinsic member of photosystem II critical for increasing photosynthesis and yield. Furthermore, a natural polymorphism of the APP-A1 gene in common wheat reduced APP-A1's activity and promoted photosynthesis and grain size and weight. This work demonstrates that the modification of APP1 increases photosynthesis, grain size and yield potentials. The genetic resources could propel photosynthesis and high-yield potentials in elite varieties of tetraploid and hexaploid wheat.

Boosting the antioxidant potential of pasta by a premature stop mutation in wheat keto-acythiolase-2.

Phenolics are a class of chemical compounds possessing antioxidant activity, which are mainly located in the wheat (Triticum aestivum) bran. Different approaches have been used in food industry to increase the availability of phenolics. Compared to these methods, however, genetic improvement of the wheat antioxidant potential, is a cost-effective, easier and safer approach. Here, we showed a single premature stop mutation in the keto-acythiolase-2 (kat-2b) gene, which significantly improved the antioxidant potential of pasta by a 60 ± 16% increase in its antioxidant potential by increasing the accumulation of ferulic acid. These changes are likely determined by the increased transcription (46% higher) and activity (120% higher) of the phenylalanine lyase genes observed in the mutated line compared to the control. Even if more studies will need to be done, overall, this study suggested that the kat-2b mutant could represent an excellent genetic resource to improve wheat's antioxidant and health-promoting potential.