A Cor (cold-responsive) cDNA that belongs to the group-3 Lea (late embryogenesis abundant)/Rab (responsive to abscisic acid, ABA) family was isolated from a winter-hardy cultivar of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Screening of a cold-acclimated cDNA library was performed using an ABA- and other stress-responsive barley cDNA clone, Hva1, as a probe. A wheat cDNA clone (designated as Wrab19) putatively encoded a basic (pI = 10.3) and hydrophobic protein with 179 amino acids. The deduced protein showed characteristics of the group-3 LEA/RAB protein family. In contrast to the single copy barley Hva1, Wrab19 belonged to a multigene family in the hexaploid wheat genome and six loci were assigned to the homoeologous group 1 chromosomes. Using Wrab19 as a probe, four homologous cDNAs (designated as Wrab17) were isolated that encoded acidic (pI = 4.6-4.7) and hydrophobic proteins, all with 166 amino acids. The deduced proteins showed high homology (a mean of 84% identity) with a barley gibberellic acid (GA3)-inducible protein, ES2A, and several other group-3 LEA/RAB proteins. Wrab17 was considered to be a three-copy gene and each copy was assigned to chromosome 5A, 4B or 4D of hexaploid wheat. Transcripts of both Wrab19 and Wrab17 accumulated within 1 day of cold acclimation at 4 degrees C. They were responsive to ABA and/or GA3, but showed some cultivar differences in their response to these plant hormones. We conclude that the two genes are new members of the group-3 Lea/Rab-related Cor gene family in wheat.

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Variationsin the gliadin composition in the endosperm were studied in R4 somaclonal lines that were derived from immature embryo callus cultures of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). Electrophoregrams of gliadin polypeptides were analyzed in 10 somaclonal lines of cv. `Zagorka' and seven lines of cv. `Progress'and compared with the two parental cultivars. The analysis showed that the parental cultivars were both