The Future of Food: Identifying Genetic Mechanisms Affecting Sorghum Protein Digestibility

Abstract

The demand to produce high-yielding crops grows exponentially with the ever-expanding world population, and with this comes the obligation to examine the actual impact that these crops will have in areas with the most need. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, cannot support many of the otherwise staple agricultural crops due to climatic limitations. Sorghum, a heat-tolerant and drought-hearty grain source, is used as a primary cereal crop in regions of sub-Saharan Africa. However, sorghum grain is known to have a signifi cantly lower protein digestibility rate compared to other common cereal grains. Cooked sorghum, in particular, has decreased levels of protein digestibility, rendering it less nutritionally effective, which is a serious concern in parts of the world that depend on sorghum grain as a primary source of protein and calories. The nutritional content that sorghum currently provides is inadequate, meaning that higher yields, though important, cannot be the sole aim of our agronomic research. Identifying and modifying the genes that infl uence sorghum protein digestibility would have a lasting impact on the millions of people who rely on sorghum nutritionally and economically. This study explored the genetic infl uences of sorghum proteins using a basic digestibility assay to screen thousands of sorghum mutants in search of those with high protein digestibility.

Transgenic, high-protein sorghums display promise in poultry diets in an initial comparison

“…The other gene, designated PD, encodes a protein foldase gene involved in the correct folding of kafirin proteins into discrete protein bodies during grain fill. Genetic mechanisms influencing sorghum protein digestibility have been identified ( Edmondson and Busche, 2015 ) and mutations involving kafirin protein bodies have been shown to enhance nutritional traits in sorghum ( Wu et al, 2013 ).…”