Project Number: 3655-43440-004-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Nov 02, 2005
End Date: Nov 30, 2009

Objective:
1) To clarify the identity and roles of the various seed proteinases in protein and carbohydrate remobilization in germinating barley seeds using proteomic and other methodologies, 2) to link the identities and functions of proteinase classes and individual proteinase activities with the malting quality across malting barley varieties and experimental lines to develop tools for use by barley breeders, and 3) to collaborate with US public-sector barley breeding programs by providing metrics for malting quality parameters critical to development of improved malting barley varieties.

Approach:
Using traditional (enzyme assay, zymogram, Western blot) and modern proteomic (2-D PAGE/MS, multidimensional chromatography/MS, DIGE) and other appropriate techniques, we will attempt to identify the important proteolytic activities and protein substrates (potentially both storage proteins and seed enzymes) that are involved in seed reserve mobilization during germination of malting barley. By collaborating with barley breeders and correlating proteolytic classes (cysteine-, serine-, metallo-, or aspartic-) as well as individual proteolytic activities with malting quality attributes across malting barley varieties, developmental lines, and experimental populations, we will identify genetic links to malting quality and develop tools (QTL or other markers) useful for malting barley improvement programs. Additionally, we will collaborate broadly with public sector barley breeding programs by providing metrics for accepted malting barley parameters on experimental lines and populations to identify suitable lines for development of elite malting barley varieties.