Starch biosynthesis in cereal endosperm

Jong Seong Jeon, Nayeon Ryoo, Tae Ryong Hahn, Harkamal Walia, Yasunori Nakamura

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

428 Scopus citations

Abstract

Stored starch generally consists of two d-glucose homopolymers, the linear polymer amylose and a highly branched glucan amylopectin that connects linear chains. Amylopectin structurally contributes to the crystalline organization of the starch granule in cereals. In the endosperm, amylopectin biosynthesis requires the proper execution of a coordinated series of enzymatic reactions involving ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), soluble starch synthase (SS), starch branching enzyme (BE), and starch debranching enzyme (DBE), whereas amylose is synthesized by AGPase and granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS). It is highly possible that plastidial starch phosphorylase (Pho1) plays an important role in the formation of primers for starch biosynthesis in the endosperm. Recent advances in our understanding of the functions of individual enzyme isoforms have provided new insights into how linear polymer chains and branch linkages are synthesized in cereals. In particular, genetic analyses of a suite of mutants have formed the basis of a new model outlining the role of various enzyme isoforms in cereal starch production. In our current review, we summarize the recent research findings related to starch biosynthesis in cereal endosperm, with a particular focus on rice.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)383-392
Number of pages10
JournalPlant Physiology and Biochemistry
Volume48
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2010

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Genetics
  • Plant Science

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