Carbohydrate Synthesis in Maize

Abstract

This chapter covers some of the gene mutations associated with carbohydrate changes in maize endosperm and presents some of the current evidence on the nature of carbohydrate metabolism, especially starch synthesis, in maize endosperm. The genetic control of polysaccharide and starch synthesis in maize endosperm is amply evident from the discussions presented in the chapter. The advantages of using mutant organisms for the clarification of metabolic pathways have been demonstrated repeatedly since the early pioneering work of Beadle and Tatum. The large collection and quantities of singular and multiple mutant maize plants and endosperm cultures currently available and the interest of many researchers offer excellent prospects for significant and relatively large contributions to the detailed knowledge of the genetic control and biochemistry of starch and carbohydrate synthesis and the differentiation of maize endosperm within the very near future. The interactions of multiple mutations on pathways of starch synthesis offer a promising refinement for analyzing the actual pathways involved. Physical studies of the starch granules of the various strains underway provide an additional tool for evaluating the influence of particular mutations on the synthesis and deposition of starch. These studies have led the research on carbohydrates in maize endosperm into the areas of enzyme characterization, localization of activity, and aspects of enzyme synthesis of polysaccharides in plants, including enzyme repression and activation.