MODIFICATION OF STARCH BIOSYNTHETIC ENZYME GENE EXPRESSION TO PRODUCE STARCHES IN GRAIN CROPS

摘要

The instant invention discloses utilization of a cDNA clone to construct senseand antisense genes for inhibition of starch synthase enzymatic activity incorn. More specifically, this invention concerns a method of controlling thestarch fine structure of starch derived from the grain of cereal cropscomprising: (1) preparing a chimeric gene comprising a nucleic acid fragmentencoding a starch synthase structural gene or a fragment thereof, operablylinked in either sense or antisense orientation on the upstream side to anucleic acid fragment encoding a promoter that directs gene expression in cornendosperm tissue, and operably linked on the downstream side to a nucleic acidfragment encoding a suitable regulatory sequence for transcriptionaltermination; and (2) transforming cereal crops with said chimeric gene,wherein expression of said chimeric gene results in alteration of the finestructure of starch derived from the grain of said transformed cereal cropscompared to the fine structure of starch derived from cereal crops notpossessing said chimeric gene.