Mutants of Arabidopsis with altered regulation of starch degradation

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Plant Physiology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.95.4.1181· OSTI ID:5265184

Caspar, T; Lin, Tsanpiao; Kakefuda, G; Benbow, L; Preiss, J; Somerville, C ^[1]

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1. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (USA)

Mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. with altered regulation of starch degradation were identified by screening for plants that retained high levels of leaf starch after a period of extended darkness. The mutant phenotype was also expressed in seeds, flowers, and roots, indicating that the same pathway of starch degradation is used in these tissues. In many respects, the physiological consequences of the mutations were equivalent to the effects observed in previously characterized mutants of Arabidopsis that are unable to synthesize starch. One mutant line, which was characterized in detail, had normal levels of activity of the starch degradative enzymes {alpha}-amylase, {beta}-amylase, phosphorylase, D-enzyme, and debranching enzyme. Thus, it was not possible to establish a biochemical basis for the phenotype, which was due to a recessive mutant at a locus designated sex 1 at position 12.2 on chromosome 1. This raises the possibility that hitherto unidentified factors, altered by the mutation, play a key role in regulating or catalyzing starch degradation.

• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ER01338
• OSTI ID: 5265184
• Journal Information: Plant Physiology; (United States), Vol. 95:4; ISSN 0032-0889
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ARABIDOPSIS
METABOLISM
STARCH
BIODEGRADATION
AMYLASE
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
MUTANTS
PHENOTYPE
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENZYMES
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HYDROLASES
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAGNOLIOPSIDA
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POLYSACCHARIDES
REAGENTS
SACCHARIDES
551000* - Physiological Systems