**5. Conclusions**

Since the 1990s, there has been a broad consensus within the scientific community that the value of using of a wheat flour depends mainly on the quality of the assembly of its prolamins (glutenins in particular) which are themselves largely under the control of protein polymorphism (the nature and relative abundance of LMW-GS and HMW-GS) and the conditions of development and maturation of the grains from which it is made. Although much progress has been made in the field of characterization of polymeric structures, in particular through the implementation of new analytical approaches (A-4F/MALLS), the fact remains that significant work needs to be done to better understand the structure of its protein assemblies of technological interest (UPP or GMP).

This chapter demonstrates that to achieve these objectives, it is essential to better understand the mechanisms that govern the formation of these polymers and/or protein aggregates in wheat grains during the final stages of their development which are subject to changing environmental conditions (i.e. rising temperatures). In this context, the important role of cellular redox status is addressed by highlighting the significant effects of particular free thiols such as glutathione on the state of association of glutenins. These compounds, of which one of the main functions is to limit the deleterious effects of oxidative stress on protein structures by combining with them, will at the same time reduce the inter-prolamin interactions in the grain thus limiting their technological functionalities. The current improved understanding of these cellular mechanisms will undoubtedly open up new avenues for exploring redox strategies for wheat improvement required for a sustainable quality.
