title: Towards a better understanding of the metabolic system for amylopectin biosynthesis in plants: rice endosperm as a model tissue.
abstract: Starch is made up of amylose (linear alpha-1,4-polyglucans) and amylopectin (alpha-1,6-branched polyglucans). Amylopectin has a distinct fine structure called multiple cluster structure and is synthesized by multiple subunits or isoforms of four classes of enzymes: ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase, soluble starch synthase (SS), starch branching enzyme (BE), and starch debranching enzyme (DBE). In the present paper, based on analyses of mutants and transgenic lines of rice in which each enzyme activity is affected, the contribution of the individual isoform to the fine structure of amylopectin in rice endosperm is evaluated, and a new model referred to as the "two-step branching and improper branch clearing model" is proposed to explain how amylopectin is synthesized. The model emphasizes that two sets of reactions, alpha-1,6-branch formation and the subsequent alpha-1,4-chain elongation, are catalyzed by distinct BE and SS isoforms, respectively, are fundamental to the construction of the cluster structure. The model also assesses the role of DBE, namely isoamylase or in addition pullulanase, to remove unnecessary alpha-1,6-glucosidic linkages that are occasionally formed at improper positions apart from two densely branched regions of the cluster.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Biological Production, Akita Prefectural University, Shimoshinjo-Nakano, Akita-City, 010-0195 Japan. nakayn@akita-pu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D015061:1,4-alpha-Glucan Branching Enzyme / Q000378:metabolism; D000687:Amylopectin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D051599:Glucose-1-Phosphate Adenylyltransferase; D006003:Glycogen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D007517:Isoamylase / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D012275:Oryza / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013213:Starch / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013214:Starch Synthase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013213:Starch; D006003:Glycogen; D000687:Amylopectin; D015061:1,4-alpha-Glucan Branching Enzyme; D013214:Starch Synthase; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases; D051599:Glucose-1-Phosphate Adenylyltransferase; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; C100181:pullulanase; D007517:Isoamylase