title: Biochemical and molecular characterization of Avena indolines and their role in kernel texture.
abstract: Among cereals, Avena sativa is characterized by an extremely soft endosperm texture, which leads to some negative agronomic and technological traits. On the basis of the well-known softening effect of puroindolines in wheat kernel texture, in this study, indolines and their encoding genes are investigated in Avena species at different ploidy levels. Three novel 14 kDa proteins, showing a central hydrophobic domain with four tryptophan residues and here named vromindoline (VIN)-1,2 and 3, were identified. Each VIN protein in diploid oat species was found to be synthesized by a single Vin gene whereas, in hexaploid A. sativa, three Vin-1, three Vin-2 and two Vin-3 genes coding for VIN-1, VIN-2 and VIN-3, respectively, were described and assigned to the A, C or D genomes based on similarity to their counterparts in diploid species. Expression of oat vromindoline transgenes in the extra-hard durum wheat led to accumulation of vromindolines in the endosperm and caused an approximate 50 % reduction of grain hardness, suggesting a central role for vromindolines in causing the extra-soft texture of oat grain. Further, hexaploid oats showed three orthologous genes coding for avenoindolines A and B, with five or three tryptophan residues, respectively, but very low amounts of avenoindolines were found in mature kernels. The present results identify a novel protein family affecting cereal kernel texture and would further elucidate the phylogenetic evolution of Avena genus.
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura (CRA-QCE), Via Cassia, 176, 00191, Rome, Italy, laura.gazza@entecra.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gazza
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taddei
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gazzelloni
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Muccilli
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janni
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Ovidio
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Redaelli
authors.forename: Norberto E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Pogna
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018554:Avena / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C057812:indoline; D013213:Starch