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The content of specific proteins such as high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits HMW-GS 5+10 and low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits LMW-GS KS2 in wheat mill streams of extra-strong Kachikei 33 wheat was quantified by SDS-PAGE and 2D-PAGE. The mill streams showed varied quantities of HMW-GS 5+10 (0.077 to 2.007 mg/g of mill stream), LMW-GS KS2 (0.018 to 0.586 mg/g of mill stream) and total protein (9.42% to 18.98%). The contents of these specific proteins in the mill streams were significantly correlated with the SDS sedimentation volume and the mixing properties, which are respective indices of specific loaf volume and dough strength. The contents of these specific glutenin proteins in the mill streams were therefore found to be significantly important for improving the dough quality suitable for bread and Chinese noodles. Accordingly, we present here the application of this information to the development of an effective method for producing mill streams with high quality and yield that are suitable for instant Chinese noodles.

Wheat flour proteins were studied to identify the cultivar-specific proteins and use them to identify cultivars in flours. Proteins extracted from flours of Japanese wheat (cultivars Hokushin, Horoshirikomugi, Kitanokaori and Kachikei 33) and Canadian wheat (Canada Western Red Spring Wheat No. 1; 1CW) were analyzed by 2-DE with IEF gels over three pH ranges: pH 4-7, pH 5-8, and pH 6-11. This system enabled detection of more than 1600 protein spots. We recognized that among 50 protein spots showing cultivar-dependent qualitative changes, 25 proteins were wheat cultivar specific. These 50 protein spots were analyzed by N-terminal Edman degradation microsequencing and MALDI-TOF-MS; 21 protein spots were storage proteins, such as gliadin and low-molecular mass glutenin subunit. Five protein spots were identified as dehydroascorbate reductase (Triticum aestivum), triticin precursor (T. aestivum), alpha-amylase inhibitor (Oryza sativa), DNA-binding with one finger (Dof) zinc family protein (O. sativa), and nonphototropic hypocotyl 1 (NPH1) protein (Avena sativa). The other protein spots appeared to be hypothetical proteins (O. sativa or Arabidopsis thaliana) or functional unknown proteins. These specific proteins can be used as markers to identify wheat cultivars in blended flour composed of two or three flours.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings, when kept at 42 degrees C for 24 h before being kept at 5 degrees C for 7 d, did not develop chilling injury. Chilling resistance was enhanced in parallel with the period of heat-treatment. The level of APX activity was higher in heated seedlings whereas CAT activity was decreased by heat stress. There was no significant difference in SOD activity between heated and unheated seedlings. The elevated activity of APX was sustained after 7 d of chilling. The cytosolic APX gene expression in response to high and low temperature was analysed with an APXa gene probe. APXa mRNA levels increased within 1 h after seedlings were exposed to 42 degrees C. Elevated APXa mRNA levels could also be detected after 24 h of heating. The APXa mRNA level in preheated seedlings was still higher than unheated seedlings under cold stress. The promoter of the APXa gene was cloned from rice genomic DNA by TAIL-PCR, and characterized by DNA sequencing. The promoter had a minimal heat shock factor-binding motif, 5'-nGAAnnTTCn-3', located in the 81 bp upstream of the TATA box. Heat shock induction of the APXa gene could be a possible cause of reduced chilling injury in rice seedlings.

We determined the nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding the catalase (CAT) isolated from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The deduced amino acid sequence suggests that this wheat catalase isozyme shared higher amino acid homology with group I CATs of barley CAT-1, rice CAT B and maize CAT-1 and CAT-2 but lower homology with group II CATs of barley CAT-2, rice CAT A and maize CAT-3. Both group I and II specific sequences of Ser-Arg-Leu and Ser-Ser-Ser, respectively considered as peroxisomal targeting signals were found first in monocot plant of wheat. Functionally important amino acids at active center and heme-binding sites detected in all other plant catalase were conserved.

A procedure is described for the purification of the archaebacterial peptide-elongation factor 2 (aEF-2) from an extremely halophilic archaebacterium Halobacterium halobium. The enrichment was about 530-fold, the obtained preparation practically homogeneous as judged by SDS-PAGE. The poly(U)-dependent poly(Phe) synthesis was completely dependent on aEF-2 in the presence of partially purified aEF-1, and the activity was equivalent to a poly(Phe)-synthesizing system containing unfractionated S-100 enzymes. aEF-2 consists of a single peptide with a relative molecular mass of 125,000 +/- 3000 and 100,000 +/- 3000 as determined by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 respectively. The isoelectric point was 5.7. The amino acid composition analysis indicated the predominance of acidic amino acids (aspartic acid and glutamic acid) and the low content of hydrophobic amino acid (phenylalanine) as compared with those of eukaryotes and prokaryotes. The factor was stable in a pH range from 6 to 8. 2-Mercaptoethanol and GTP but not GDP markedly protected aEF-2 from heat denaturation at 52 degrees C. aEF-2 became inactivated and insensitive to ADP-ribosylation by diphtheria toxin at low ionic strength but could be renatured by increasing ionic strength. Obviously higher concentrations of salts contribute to the conformational stability of aEF-2.

tRNA saturation experiments were performed with ribosomal subunits from the extreme halophilic archaebacterium Halobacterium halobium. In the presence of poly(U) the 30S subunit could bind equally well one AcPhe-tRNAPhe, Phe-tRNAPhe, or deacylated tRNAPhe molecule, respectively. Binding experiments with a mixture of two differently labeled tRNA species revealed that all three kinds of tRNA bound to one and the same binding site on the 30S subunit. Poly(U) dependent binding to the 50S subunit was insignificant for AcPhe-tRNA and Phe-tRNA. In the absence of poly(U) both AcPhe-tRNAPhe and Phe-tRNAPhe showed no significant binding to either subunit, whereas the binding of deacylated tRNAPhe could not be clearly determined. These results are in good agreement with those obtained from ribosomal subunits of the eubacterium Escherichia coli.

A new method was developed for a simple, rapid, and effective preparation of ribosomal subunits from the extremely halophilic archaebacterium Halobacterium halobium using hydrophobic interaction chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B. One milliliter of swollen gel matrix (total bed volume) bound up to 15 A260 units of 70 S ribosomes. By a stepwise reduction of the ionic strength first 50 S and then 30 S subunits were solubilized and differentially eluted. The pooled fractions containing 50 S and 30 S subunits, respectively, were adjusted to higher ionic strength and concentrated by ultrafiltration. The yield of purified (30 S + 50 S) subunits was up to 60% of the input of 70 S ribosomes. Poly(U)-dependent polyphenylalanine synthesis assay demonstrated that the subunits were as active as native 70 S ribosomes. 30 S and 50 S subunits of nonhalophilic Escherichia coli, however, were not isolated separately by the application of this method.