Wheat modification

The effect of zearalenone on crop development may be connected to its influence on the status and functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus (Koscielniak et al. 2008). The after-effects of zearalenone on the growth of soybean and wheat plants, net photosynthesis and transpiration rates, stomatal conductance, photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 and on final seeds yield were determined. Modifications in leaf area were more pronounced in soybean than in wheat, and this tendency increases in successive developmental phases. The net photosynthesis was stimulated during the juvenile phase and during that of the final one by about 13.6% (average) in soybean plants. Stimulation of transpiration was also observed after... 

Choi, S.-G. and Kerr, W.L. 2003b. Effect of chemical modification of wheat starch on molecular mobility as studied by pulsed H-1 NMR. Lebensm. If/vv. Technol. Food Sci. Technol. 36, 105-112. 

Most frequently, extracts of either prokaryotic or eukaryotic origin as such from Escherichia coli, wheat germ or rabbit reticulocytes are employed for cost reasons and availability. While those based on E. coli are unable of post-translational protein modification, eukaryotic extracts do allow synthesis of glycosylated or phosphorylated proteins to some extent when additional components, such as microsomes for glycosylation are added. Care needs to be taken with cell-free systems recombinated from the individual components when a native protein is to be produced that does not fold spontaneously... 

Dietary modification, such as feeding wheat bran or soy protein, has been unsuccessful at changing equol-producing capabilitywhich indicates that the intestinal microflora of an individual is relatively stable and resistant to change. 

Identification of oat (Avena) cultivars by HPLC was first reported by Lookhart and coworkers (153-155) in combined electrophoresis/HPLC experiments. The HPLC technique used was a modification of the procedure described by Bietz (137) for wheat. Generally, the prolamin fraction, i.e., the alcohol-soluble fraction, of oat species generates complex polyacrylamide gel-electrophoresis (PAGE) and RP-HPLC patterns, with increasing complexity as ploidy of the selections increased. Readily (visible) identification of the cultivars was possible only when PAGE and RP-HPLC results were combined. An HPLC procedure for the characterization of the major oat protein fractions was developed by Lapvetelainen et al. (156). Salt-soluble, alcohol-soluble, and alkali-soluble protein fractions were extracted with 0.1 M NaCl, 52% ethanol, and 1% SDS in 0.05 M borate (pH 10), respectively. For the five cultivars examined, RP-HPLC separations of salt- and alkali-soluble proteins were very similar, whereas the prolamin fraction enabled culti-var differentiation, except for very closely related cultivars. 

Other evidence on morphological modifications attributed to HS treatment concern root hair development. In this sense, Concheri et al. (1994) identified a strong proliferation of root hairs compared to control plants in wheat root supplemented with HS up to a concentration of lOmgC liter-1, with best results for HMS and LMS obtained with 5 and O.lmgCliter-1, respectively. 

Substantial yield increases can also be achieved by exploiting the full genetic potential of seeds, whether by modern breeding technologies or genetic modification. Hundreds of new seed varieties with improved characteristics are introduced every year. Over the past 30 years, the yield of major field crops such as com, soya, wheat, and rice has increased by 60 to 80 percent and further increases are forecasted. Appropriate treatment of those seeds with crop protection chemicals before planting has proven to increase plant vigor overall. 

Partridge, M.A.K., Yiang, Y., Skerritt, J.H., and Schaich, K.M. 2003. Immunochemical and electrophoretic analysis of the modification of wheat proteins in extruded flour products. 

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