ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how different physical properties are determined by variation in the protein composition of the grain. Wheat grain contains an extremely complex mixture of proteins, with at least 100 different species usually being present. It describes the approaches used to establish relationships between protein composition and structure and functional properties. Several different criteria have been used to classify wheat proteins. From a functionality point of view, it is convenient to divide wheat proteins into two main classes, generally referred to as monomeric and polymeric proteins, depending on whether they consist of single- or multiple-chain polypeptides. The monomeric proteins comprise two main groups: the gliadins and the albumins/globulins. Gliadins are storage proteins, whereas albumins and globulins are metabolic and include various enzymes. Monomeric proteins run in front of the polymeric proteins, which are too large to significantly penetrate the gel and form a smear close to the starting slot.
