Question

Name three amino acids which appear in unusually large amounts in the gluten forming proteins. Draw the structures of these amino acids and discuss their role in the formation of gluten.

Answer 1

The three proteins which are found to be in unusually large amount in gluten forming proteins are cysteine, glutamine and arginine.

• The most important role played by glutamine in gluten forming is elasticity of the protein. It helps in modification of properties of the dough by making it more elastic. The amino acids are linked to one another by covalent bonds.
• The cysteine residues forms disulphide bonds in the gluten proteins and it helps in maintaining the structure of the gluten protein. It helps in conserving the structure.
• Arginine again is one of the important amino acid which helps in maintaining the strength of the dough and keep the elasticity intact.