We characterized the molecular weight distribution of polymeric proteins (PP) of bread wheat grains using asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (A4F). The experiment, involving six environmental conditions and 130 cultivars, offered the opportunity to approach the phenotypic values of the polymer characteristics and their contribution of the rheological properties of flours and/or doughs. The contents of high-molecular-weight polymers (MW > 2 × 106 g·mol-1) that can be considered as "rheologically active polymers" (RAPP) for their major contribution to dough baking strength and mixing tolerance were mainly controlled by environmental factors. Under the influence of the growing conditions, at the cellular level, the redox status of non-protein free thiol, such as glutathione, is modified and leads to the formation of polymeric protein-bound glutathione conjugates (PPSSG). The accumulation of these conjugates reduces the formation of the RAPP by limiting the intermolecular interactions between PP in the grain during desiccation. This phenomenon is, therefore, potentially responsible for decreases in the technological properties of the wheat genotypes concerned. These first results invite us to continue our investigations to fully confirm this phenomenon, with emphasis on the behavior of wheat genotypes under various growing conditions.
Keywords: MWD of polymeric proteins; bread making quality; environmental effects on HMW polymers; wheat.