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80 GENETICALLY DETOXIFIED GRAINS
I STEP
Production of HMW &
LMW glutenins without any
gliadin contamination
III STEP
Testing the rheologic
functions of pure glutenins
(in in vitro experiments) to
confirm that elasticity is mainly
ensured by them
II STEP
Testing HMW
& LMW
glutenin toxicity in in vitro
& in vivo feeding studies
IV STEP
Integrating genes
of HMW glutenins and
promoters into maize
by the biolistic method
Fig. 4. A multistep approach to obtain genetically detoxified wheat suitable for baking.
vivo on coeliac volunteers (Fig. 4). If the hypothesis of safety of HMW glutenins is
confirmed, experiments should be planned to confirm the rheologic fractions of these
pure fractions and that elasticity is mainly ensured by them. In that case viscous
function could be maintained by proteins other than gliadins. Accordingly, the final step
would be the introduction of HMW genes to improve baking quality in grains safe for
CD patients, such as maize, rice and sorghum. This aim is not an easy one. However, it
could be attempted in parallel with targeted inactivation of gliadins genes, a procedure
requiring more preliminary information and less likely to lead to the production of
acceptable baked goods.
Acknowledgements
The authors are in debt with Dr. Donald D Kasarda (US Department of Agriculture,
Agricultural Research Service, Albany, CA), Dr. Herbert Wieser (German Research
Institute of Food Chemistry, Garching, Germany), Dr. Frederik W Janssen (Insp. of
Health Protection, Zutphen, The Netherlands), Dr. Rita Redaelli (Istituto Sperimentale
per la Cerealicoltura, Bergamo, Italy) for their helpful suggestions and with
Associazione Italiana Celiachia for financial support.
References
1. Wieser H. The precipitating factor in coeliac disease. Bailliere Clin Gastroenterol
1995;9:191-207.
2. Shewry PR, Tatham AS, Kasarda DD. Cereal proteins and coeliac disease. In: MN
Marsh, ed. Coeliac disease. London: Blackwell Scientific 1992;305-48.