Changes in the glutathione thiol-disulfide status in wheat grain by foliar sulphur fertilization: consequences for the rheological properties of dough

Storage proteins and glutathione in wheat play an important role in gluten network formation and can be modified by supplementation of nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) in wheat plants. The glutathione thiol-disulfide status and its relationship to the molecular weight distribution wheat polymeric protein and dough rheological properties have been examined after different foliar S fertilizations (S derived from micronized elemental S and NS, a mixture of N urea and elemental S) applied at the post-anthesis stage. Changes in levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG), polymeric protein-glutathione mixed disulfide (PPSSG) were analysed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography, during grain development using the wheat cultivars, Soissons and Trémie. During the grain desiccation phase, S supplementation (i) increased the GSSG/GSH ratio by 23-25% (ii) induced PPSSG accumulation, and (iii) decreased the formation of SDS-unextractable polymeric protein (UPP) and its molecular mass distribution. However, simultaneous N and S supplementation results in: (i) a decrease in PPSSG formation by 20-30% and (ii) an increase of UPP by 7-18% by enhancing both the branching of the aggregated proteins and their molecular weight. The mixograph parameters show that all forms of endogenous glutathione are linked to dough weakening and are negatively correlated with dough mixing tolerance, dough strength and consistency, while UPP is positively correlated with dough strength and consistency. These findings indicate that S nutrition influences dynamics of the glutathione forms in the grain and results in modification the degree of polymerization of storage protein. Thus both the changes in the form of glutathione and protein polymerization influence the rheological properties of dough.