title: [Maize starch biosynthesis and its genetic manipulation].
abstract: Starch is the most important source of calories and a vital storage component in plants. The characterization and production of starch variants from mutation and with transgenic technology has improved our understanding of the synthesis of starch granule. In starch biosynthesis in plants, four enzymes, including ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, starch synthase, starch branching enzyme and starch debranching enzyme, are widely accepted from an enormous amount of research aimed primarily at enzyme characterization. As many genes encoding the enzymes and their multiple isoforms in starch biosynthesis pathway have been isolated, genetic manipulation of the starch biosynthesis pathway shows to be a practical way by which starch quantity is increased and starch with novel properties can be created.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Agro-biotechnology Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100089, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhen-Bo
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Rong-Jun
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jian-Sheng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen