NOVEL STARCHES VIA MODIFICATION OF EXPRESSION OF STARCH BIOSYNTHETIC ENZYME GENES

摘要

The instant invention discloses utilization of a cDNA clone to construct sense and antisense genes for inhibition of starch branching enzyme enzymatic activity in corn. More specifically, this invention concerns a method of controlling the starch fine structure of starch derived from the grain of corn comprising: (1) preparing a chimeric gene comprising a nucleic acid fragment encoding a starch branching enzyme structural gene or a fragment thereof, operably linked in either sense or antisense orientation on the upstream side to a nucleic acid fragment encoding a promoter that directs gene expression in corn endosperm tissue, and operably linked on the downstream side to a nucleic acid fragment encoding a suitable regulatory sequence for transcriptional termination, and (2) transforming corn with said chimeric gene, wherein expression of said chimeric gene results in alteration of the fine structure of starch derived from the grain of said transformed corn compared to the fine structure of starch derived from corn not possessing said chimeric gene.