Short-term effects of experimental warming and enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation on photosynthesis and antioxidant defense of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea asperata</Emphasis> seedlings

It is generally accepted that sucrose synthase (SuSy), ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), soluble starch synthase (SSS), granule-bound starch synthases (GBSS) and starch branching enzyme (SBE) play a key role in starch synthesis in wheat grains. Starch synthesis in wheat grains is influenced by genotype and environment. However, what is not known is the degree of variation in enzyme activity during starch accumulation of wheat cultivars differing in kernel types. The present study was carried out to characterize the changing activities of key enzymes during grain filling in two kernel type winter wheat cultivars. Results showed that starch accumulation rate (SAR) and activities of SuSy, AGPase, SSS, GBSS and SBE in large kernel types were significantly higher than those in small kernel types. The soil water deficit experienced during the course of the experiment led to an increase at early grain-filling period and decrease during late grain-filling, respectively, in SAR and activities of key enzymes involved in starch synthesis, especially SuSy, AGPase, SSS, and SBE. Water deficit enhanced grain starch accumulation in small kernel types. It suggests that rainfed treatment increase physiological activities during early grain-filling and promote starch accumulation in small kernel types. The simulation with Richards’ equation showed that it was accumulation duration and SAR that determined the starch accumulation in large kernel types. Compared with small kernel types, plants of large kernel types maintained longer filling duration, higher SAR and greater activities of related enzymes during mid and late grain-filling. These observations suggest stronger sink activities in large kernel types at a later stage of development. Consequently, large kernel types have advantages over the small kernel types in terms of the amount of starch accumulation at mid and late stage, but are sensitive to water deficit.     

Transcriptomes of Fruit Cavity Revealed by De Novo Sequence Analysis in Nai Plum (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus salicina</Emphasis>)

Nai plum (Prunus salicina) is an important fruit crop in China having good taste and flavour. Cavity formation occurring during fruit development affects fruit quality. However, the molecular mechanism underlying cavity formation is unclear. To obtain differential expression profiles of cavity fruit (CF) and non-cavity fruit (nCF) in P. salicina, we sequenced the fruits at different time intervals of 7 days after anthesis (DAA), 21 and 28 DAA, respectively, and 83,869 unigenes, 3811 differentially expressed genes, 22,971 simple sequence repeats and over 14,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms were obtained. Twenty-three differentially expressed genes were selected for verification by qRT-PCR. The contents of phytohormones during fruit development showed that there was a positive relevance between phytohormone contents (IAA, ZR and GA), fruit size and ABA contents in the fruits, whereas there was a negative correlation with ZR, GA and IAA. Lower GA content in fruit before 14 DAA and higher IAA and ZR levels during later developmental stages resulted in cavity appearance. Further studies showed that differential expression of phytohormone-related genes IPT, CKX, YUCCA, GA20ox, GID1, CCS1 was determined at key fruit development stages, which is consistent with content changes of IAA, GA, ABA and ZR. Our results suggest that ABA might inhibit the synthesis of IAA, ZR and GA and cause fruit cavity formation in Nai plum.     

Reduced abscisic acid content is responsible for enhanced sucrose accumulation by potassium nutrition in vegetable soybean seeds

In order to understand the physiological mechanism of potassium (K) application in enhancing sugar content of vegetable soybean seeds, pot experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 with two vegetable soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) cultivars (c.v. Zhongkemaodou 1 and c.v. 121) under normal rate of nitrogen and phosphorus application. Three potassium (K) fertilization treatments were imposed: No K application (K0), 120 kg K₂SO₄ ha^?1 at seeding (K1), and 120 kg K₂SO₄ ha^?1 at seedling?+?1% K₂SO₄ foliar application at flowering (K2). Contents of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellins (GA), cytokinins (ZR) and abscisic acid (ABA) in seeds were determined from 4 to 8 weeks after flowering. K fertilization increased the contents of IAA, GA, ZR, soluble sugar, sucrose and fresh pod yield, but reduced ABA content consistently. When the contents of soluble sugar and sucrose reached the highest level at 7 weeks after flowering for the 2 cultivars, the contents of IAA、GA、ZR all reached the lowest level in general. The content of ABA in seed was negatively correlated with the sucrose content (P?<?0.01, r = ?0.749**, ?0.768** in 2014 and ?0.535**, ?0.791** in 2015 for c.v.121 and c.v. Zhongkemaodou 1 respectively). The changes in ratio of the ABA to (IAA?+?GA?+?ZR) from 4 to 8 weeks after flowering affected by K application were coincident to the changes of sucrose accumulation. The reduced ratio of ABA/(IAA?+?GA?+?ZR) affected by K nutrition particularly reduced abscisic acid content plays a critical role in enhancing sucrose content, which might be a partial mechanism involved in K nutrition to improve the quality of vegetable soybean.     

Effects of abscisic acid (ABA) on grain filling processes in wheat

The effect of in situ water stress on the endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) content of the endosperm and the in vitro application of ABA on some important yield regulating processes in wheat have been studied. Water stress resulted in a marked increase in the ABA content of the endosperm at the time close to cessation of growth. Application of ABA to the culture medium of detached ears reduced grain weight. Exogenously applied ABA, at the highest concentration (0.1 mM) reduced transport of sucrose into the grains and lowered the starch synthesis ability of intact grains. In vitro sucrose uptake and conversion by isolated grains was stimulated by low ABA concentrations (0.001 mM) in the medium but was inhibited by higher concentrations. ABA application had no effect on sucrose synthase (SS) and uridine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (UDP-Gppase) activities, whereas adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADP-Gppase), soluble starch synthase (SSS), and granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS) activities were reduced. These results raise the possibility that water stress-induced elevated levels of endogenous ABA contribute to reduced grain growth.     

不同类型玉米发育籽粒中淀粉合成及相关酶活性比较

以普通玉米、爆裂玉米、甜玉米和糯玉米为试材,分析和比较不同类型的玉米品种之间籽粒发育过程中淀粉合成及相关酶活性的变化。结果表明,淀粉合成速率和蔗糖合成酶(SS)、可溶性淀粉合成酶(SSS)、束缚态淀粉合成酶(GBSS)、淀粉分支酶(SBE)、去分支酶(DBE)活性都呈单峰曲线变化。30～40 DAP,普通玉米的SS活性显著高于其他3种类型;类型间平均和最大SSS活性水平的顺序为普通玉米>糯玉米>爆裂玉米>甜玉米;30～40 DAP,普通玉米GBSS活性最高,糯玉米GBSS活性最低;20～40 DAP,糯玉米SBE活性最高;甜玉米的DBE活性很低,并且在40 DAP完全丧失。淀粉合成速率与SS、SSS、GBSS和SBE活性相关程度比较高,与腺苷二磷酸葡萄糖焦磷酸化酶(AGP酶)和DBE活性相关不显著。推测AGP酶虽然为淀粉合成提供直接前体ADPG,但可能SS活性过低致使其限速作用比AGP酶的还强,AGP酶潜在的限速作用无法表现,SS成为玉米籽粒淀粉合成的限速因子。GBSS对直链淀粉积累起重要的促进作用;SSS和SBE对支链淀粉积累起重要的促进作用。     

A sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase 1 gene from potato, <Emphasis Type="Italic">StSnRK1</Emphasis>, regulates carbohydrate metabolism in transgenic tobacco

Sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) has been shown to play an essential role in regulating saccharide metabolism and starch biosynthesis of plant. The regulatory role of StSnRK1 from potato in regulating carbohydrate metabolism and starch accumulation has not been investigated. In this work, a cDNA encoding the SnRK1 protein, named StSnRK1, was isolated from potato. The open reading frame contained 1545 nucleotides encoding 514 amino acids. Subcellular localization analysis in onion epidermal cells indicated that StSnRK1 protein was localized to the nucleus. The coding region of StSnRK1 was cloned into a binary vector under the control of 35S promoter and then transformed into tobacco to obtain transgenic plants. Transgenic tobacco plants expressing StSnRK1 were shown to have a significant increased accumulation of starch content, as well as sucrose, glucose and fructose content. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that overexpression of StSnRK1 up-regulated the expression of sucrose synthase (NtSUS), ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (NtAGPase) and soluble starch synthase (NtSSS III) genes involved in starch biosynthesis in the transgenic plants. In contrast, the expression of sucrose phosphate synthase (NtSPS) gene was decreased in the transgenic plants. Meanwhile, enzymatic analyses indicated that the activities of major enzymes (SUS, AGPase and SSS) involved in the starch biosynthesis were enhanced, whereas SPS activity was decreased in the transgenic plants compared to the wild-type. These results suggest that the manipulation of StSnRK1 expression might be used for improving quality of plants in the future.     

硫营养对小麦籽粒淀粉合成及相关酶活性的影响

在田间条件下,研究了施硫对小麦籽粒淀粉合成及相关酶活性的影响.结果表明:在0～20 cm土层土壤有效硫含量为5.84 mg/kg的地块上施硫不仅提高了小麦籽粒中蔗糖的含量,而且催化蔗糖降解代谢的蔗糖合成酶(SS)活性提高,利于籽粒蔗糖的降解.施硫显著提高了灌浆期间籽粒可溶性淀粉合成酶(SSS)活性,并使腺苷二磷酸葡萄糖焦磷酸化酶(ADPGPPase)和束缚态淀粉合成酶(GBSS)活性在灌浆中、后期维持在较高水平,对直链和支链淀粉的合成都起促进作用, 使总淀粉积累增加,千粒重提高,产量增加.     

Gene expression of the biosynthetic enzymes and biosynthesis of starch during Rice Grain development

Amylose and amylopectin are determinants of the physicochemical properties for starch and grain quality in rice. Their biosynthesis is catalyzed by the interplay of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS), soluble starch synthase (SSS), a starch branching enzyme (SBE), and a starch debranching enzyme (SDE). In this study, the genes for these enzymes were highly expressed 7 to 28 days after flowering during grain development, and their expression closely matched increases in both starch content and grain weight Among all the tested cultivars, amylose contents in the rice grains remained essentially constant throughout their development The AGPase gene was highly expressed in the high-yield cultivars of both glutinous and non-glutinous rice. The SSS gene was actively expressed when mature GBSS mRNA decreased. Genes responsible for amylopectin biosynthesis were simultaneously expressed in the late stage of grain development. We have now demonstrated that the expression patterns of starch biosynthetic genes differ between glutinous and non-glutinous rice, and between Tongil (a Japonica/ Indica hybrid) and Japonica types.     

Increasing the abscisic acid level in maize grains induces precocious maturation by accelerating grain filling and dehydration

Elevated levels of abscisic acid (ABA) are closely associated with cereal grain filling under water deficit. However, grain dehydration during grain filling has received little attention. In this paper, three experiments with drought stress and exogenous ABA treatments were conducted to investigate the relationship between ABA and grain dehydration in maize (Zea mays L.) during the grain-filling period. The results indicated that exogenous ABA application and drought stress led to the same tendency of the grain ABA concentration, carbohydrate concentration and dehydration rate to increase but the moisture content to decrease. Moreover, the time to reach the maximum grain-filling rate was advanced, and the grain-filling period was shortened. In in vitro culture experiments, the sucrose-to-starch conversion was promoted, mainly influenced by sucrose synthase, ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), and soluble starch synthase during the middle grain-filling stage, and the improvement in starch synthesis was possibly induced by AGPase. Correlation analysis showed that the ABA level was significantly negatively correlated with the moisture content and positively correlated with the starch level. A close and notably negative correlation was observed between the grain moisture content and starch level. In summary, adequate grain ABA promoted sucrose-to-starch conversion, shortened the duration of grain filling and accelerated grain dehydration, resulting in precocious grain maturation.     

花后土壤水分状况对小麦籽粒淀粉和蛋白质积累关键调控酶活性的影响

在温室盆栽条件下,以2个不同蛋白质含量的冬小麦(Triticum aestivum L．)品种皖麦38和扬麦9为材料,研究了花后第4天开始的土壤干旱(SRWC=45％～50％)和渍水对籽粒蛋白质和淀粉积累关键调控酶活性的影响。小麦叶片和籽粒的测定结果均表明,小麦源库器官中籽粒蛋白质和淀粉积累的关键调控酶活性变化趋势在2个品种间基本一致。与对照(SRWC=75％～80％)相比,干旱和渍水均明显降低了花后旗叶中蔗糖含量和磷酸蔗糖合成酶(SPS)活性,而氨基酸含量和谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS)活性略有下降。干旱和渍水均降低了籽粒库蔗糖合成酶(SS)和结合态淀粉合成酶(GBSS)活性,可溶性淀粉合成酶(SSS)活性降低尤甚。其中干旱处理下SS的下降比渍水更为明显。与对照相比,渍水明显降低了籽粒谷丙转氨酶(GPT)和GS活性,而干旱的影响较小。相关性分析结果表明籽粒淀粉产量和含量与SPS,SSS和GBSS活性的关系比与SS活性的关系更为密切,籽粒蛋白质产量和含量与叶中GS和籽粒中GPT活性的关系比与籽粒中GS关系活性更为密切。这些结果表明小麦源库器官中调控籽粒蛋白质和淀粉积累的关键酶活性变化是花后不同水分状况影响籽粒淀粉和蛋白质特性的重要因素。     

A soybean plastidic ATP/ADP transporter gene, <Emphasis Type="Italic">GmAATP</Emphasis>, is involved in carbohydrate metabolism in transgenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis>

The plastidic ATP/ADP transporter (AATP) imports adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from the cytosol into plastids, resulting in the increase of the ATP supply to facilitate anabolic synthesis in heterotrophic plastids of dicotyledonous plants. The regulatory role of GmAATP from soybean in increasing starch accumulation has not been investigated. In this study, a gene encoding the AATP protein, named GmAATP, was successfully isolated from soybean. Transient expression of GmAATP in Arabidopsis protoplasts and Nicotiana benthamiana leaf epidermal cells revealed the plastidic localization of GmAATP. Its expression was induced by exogenous sucrose treatment in soybean. The coding region of GmAATP was cloned into a binary vector under the control of 35S promoter and then transformed into Arabidopsis to obtain transgenic plants. Constitutive expression of GmAATP significantly increased the sucrose and starch accumulation in the transgenic plants. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that constitutive expression of GmAATP up-regulated the expression of phosphoglucomutase (AtPGM), ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) small subunit (AtAGPase-S1 and AtAGPase-S2), AGPase large subunit (AtAGPase-L1 and AtAGPase-L2), granule-bound starch synthase (AtGBSS I and AtGBSS II), soluble starch synthases (AtSSS I, AtSSS II, AtSSS III, and AtSSS IV), and starch branching enzyme (AtSBE I and AtSBE II) genes involved in starch biosynthesis in the transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Meanwhile, enzymatic analyses indicated that the major enzymes (AGPase, GBSS, SSS, and SBE) involved in the starch biosynthesis exhibited higher activities in the transgenic plants compared to the wild type (WT). These findings suggest that GmAATP may improve starch content of Arabidopsis by up-regulating the expression of the related genes and increasing the activities of the major enzymes involved in starch biosynthesis. All these results suggest that GmAATP could be used as a candidate gene for developing high starch-accumulating plants as alternative energy crops.     

秸秆还田对旱作马铃薯块茎淀粉合成关键酶活性及基因表达的影响

为探讨秸秆还田下旱作马铃薯块茎形成过程中淀粉合成关键酶活性及基因表达特性,以马铃薯栽培品种"青薯9号"为材料,以露地栽培为对照,设置秸秆还田处理,研究了马铃薯块茎形成过程中淀粉合成关键酶活性、基因表达、淀粉糊化及累积指标。结果表明:秸秆还田显著提高了旱作马铃薯SSS酶活性,降低了AGPP、GBSS酶活性,而对SBE酶活性没有显著影响;显著提高了SSⅡ、SSⅢ基因表达量,降低了AGPase、GBSSⅠ、SBEⅠ、SBEⅡ基因表达量;显著增加了淀粉崩解值,减少了淀粉各阶段粘度、回生值,而对淀粉糊化温度没有显著影响;显著增加了直链淀粉含量及直/支链淀粉比,减少了总淀粉含量;GBSS酶活性与AGPase、SBEⅠ基因表达量呈显著正相关,与直链淀粉含量、直/支链淀粉比呈显著负相关;SBE酶活性与SSⅡ基因表达量、峰值粘度、低谷粘度、最终粘度、总淀粉含量呈显著正相关,与崩解值、糊化温度呈显著负相关;AGPase基因表达量与直链淀粉含量呈显著负相关;GBSSⅠ基因表达量与最终粘度、回生值呈显著正相关,与糊化温度呈显著负相关;淀粉糊化与累积无显著相关性。     

Growth characteristics and endosperm structure of superior and inferior spikelets of indica rice under high-temperature stress

Heat stress severely reduces rice yield and quality; however, differences between the superior, early-flowering and inferior, later-flowering spikelets of indica rice in response to high-temperature stress during grain filling remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of high temperature (HT, 33.6/20.7 °C day/night) on growth, endosperm structure, and hormone and polyamine content of superior and inferior spikelets of heat-sensitive (SG-1) and heat-tolerant (HHZ) indica cultivars. The HT decreased fertilization rate, caused earlier grain filling, and reduced duration of grain filling, thus resulting in decreased grain mass and a poor endosperm structure. In addition, soluble sugar and sucrose content increased, and starch synthesis decreased by HT at the early stage of grain filling. The HT increased polyamine [spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm)] and abscisic acid (ABA) content, but reduced zeatin (Z) + zeatin riboside (ZR) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content in the grains. Such effects were more apparent in the inferior than superior spikelets; however, the inferior spikelets of SG-1 were more affected than those of HHZ. At the middle grain filling stage, HT produced little difference between the two cultivars. Our results suggest that the poor development of inferior spikelets of SG-1 under the HT could be attributed, at least in part, to the changed content and ratios of free polyamines [putrescine (Put), Spd, and Spm] and phytohormones (Z+ZR, IAA, and ABA) and the conversion efficiency of sucrose into starch.     

The effect of water stress on the activities of key regulatory enzymes of the sucrose to starch pathway in wheat

Developmental changes in the starch and sucrose content of grains andthe activities of enzymes of starch synthesis in wheat were studied under waterstress conditions. Water stress caused a marked reduction in the sucrose andstarch content of the grains. Sucrose synthase (SS) and UDP-glucosepyrophosphorylase (UDP-Gppase), showed higher catalytic activity and moreresistance to water stress compared with amyloplastic enzymes. ADP-glucosepyrophosphorylase (ADP-Gppase) activity was reduced to a low level under bothin situ and osmotic stress conditions in which grainsfailed to accumulate dry matter in vivo. Granule-boundstarch synthase (GBSS) also responded rapidly to in situwater stress treatments as did ADP-Gppase. Reduction in GBSS activity at thetime of growth cessation in situ was less than that ofADP-Gppase and the enzyme did not respond to severe osmotic stress. Solublestarch synthase (SSS) was the enzyme most sensitive to water stress in that itresponded earlier, and to a greater extent, than the other enzymes. However,under severe dehydration conditions, leading to cessation of growth, thedeclinein SSS activity was less than that for ADP-Gppase. SSS showed the lowestin vitro activity followed by GBSS. These results suggestthat SSS is the site of response to water stress by which the rate of graingrowth can be affected, whereas growth cessation is due mainly to theinactivation of ADP-Gppase.     

冬小麦籽粒淀粉合成相关酶活性的日变化

蔗糖向淀粉的转化是决定小麦籽粒产量的重要因素.田间条件下研究了两个小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)品种"鲁麦22"和"鲁麦14"籽粒淀粉合成相关酶:蔗糖合酶(sucrose synthase,SS)、腺苷二磷酸葡萄糖焦磷酸化酶(ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase,ADPGPPase)、可溶性淀粉合酶(soluble starch synthase,SSS)、束缚态淀粉合酶(starch granule-bound synthase,GBSS)的活性以及籽粒ATP含量的日变化.结果表明,上述酶活性呈现明显的昼夜变化特征,酶活性一般在白天较低,而在夜间呈现较高活性,而籽粒ATP含量趋势相反.相关分析表明,白天较低的酶活性可能与气温超过其适宜温度有关.对籽粒淀粉合成相关酶活性日变化的可能因子进行了讨论.     

A tomato plastidic ATP/ADP transporter gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">SlAATP</Emphasis> increases starch content in transgenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis>

A plastidic ATP/ADP transporter (AATP) is responsible for importing ATP from the cytosol into plastids. Increasing the ATP supply is a potential way to facilitate anabolic synthesis in heterotrophic plastids of plants. In this work, a gene encoding the AATP protein, named SlAATP, was successfully isolated from tomato. Expression of SlAATP was induced by exogenous sucrose treatment in tomato. The coding region of SlAATP was cloned into a binary vector under the control of 35S promoter and then transformed into Arabidopsis to obtain transgenic plants. Constitutive expression of SlAATP significantly increased the starch accumulation in the transgenic plants. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that constitutive expression of StAATP up-regulated the expression of phosphoglucomutase (AtPGM), ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AtAGPase), granule-bound starch synthase (AtGBSS I and AtGBSS II), soluble starch synthases (AtSSS I, AtSSS II, AtSSS III and AtSSS IV) and starch branching enzyme (AtSBE I and AtSBE II) genes involved in starch biosynthesis in the transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Meanwhile, enzymatic analyses indicated that the major enzymes (AGPase, GBSS, SSS and SBE) involved in the starch biosynthesis exhibited higher activities in the transgenic plants compared to the wild-type (WT). These findings suggest that SlAATP may improve starch content of Arabidopsis by up-regulating the expression of the related genes and increasing the activities of the major enzymes invovled in starch biosynthesis. The manipulation of SlAATP expression might be used for increasing starch accumulation of plants in the future.     

冬小麦籽粒淀粉合成相关酶活性的日变化

蔗糖向淀粉的转化是决定小麦籽粒产量的重要因素。田间条件下研究了两个小麦(TriticumaestivumL.)品种“鲁麦22”和“鲁麦14”籽粒淀粉合成相关酶:蔗糖合酶(sucrosesynthase,SS)、腺苷二磷酸葡萄糖焦磷酸化酶(ADP-glucosepyrophosphorylase,ADPGPPase)、可溶性淀粉合酶(solublestarchsynthase,SSS)、束缚态淀粉合酶(starchgranule-boundsynthase,GBSS)的活性以及籽粒ATP含量的日变化。结果表明,上述酶活性呈现明显的昼夜变化特征,酶活性一般在白天较低,而在夜间呈现较高活性,而籽粒ATP含量趋势相反。相关分析表明,白天较低的酶活性可能与气温超过其适宜温度有关。对籽粒淀粉合成相关酶活性日变化的可能因子进行了讨论。     

Activities of key enzymes for starch synthesis in relation to growth of superior and inferior grains on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) spike

Weight of individual grains is a major yield component in wheat. The non-uniform distribution of single grain weight on a wheat spike is assumed to be closely associated with starch synthesis in grains. The present study was undertaken to determine if the enzymes involved in starch synthesis cause the differences in single grain weight between superior and inferior grains on a wheat spike. Using two high-yield winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties differing in grain weight and three nitrogen rates for one variety, the contents of amylose and amylopectin, and activities of enzymes involved in starch synthesis in both superior and inferior grains were investigated during the entire period of grain filling. Superior grains showed generally higher starch accumulation rates and activities of enzymes including SS (sucrose synthase), UDPGPPase (UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase), ADPGPPase (ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase), SSS (soluble starch synthase) and GBSS (starch granule bound starch synthase) and subsequently produced much higher single grain weight than inferior grains. Nitrogen increased enzyme activities and starch accumulation rates, and thus improved individual grain weight, especially for inferior grains. The SS, ADPGPPase and SSS were significantly correlated to amylopectin accumulation, while SS, ADPGPPase, SSS and GBSS were significantly correlated to amylose accumulation. This infers that SS, ADPGPPase and starch synthase play key roles in regulating starch accumulation and grain weight in superior and inferior grains on a wheat spike.     

Constitutive expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">SlTrxF</Emphasis> increases starch content in transgenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis>

The plastidic thioredoxin F-type (TrxF) protein plays an important role in plant saccharide metabolism. In this study, a gene encoding the TrxF protein, named SlTrxF, was isolated from tomato. The coding region of SlTrxF was cloned into a binary vector under the control of 35S promoter and then transformed into Arabidopsis thaliana. The transgenic Arabidopsis plants exhibited increased starch accumulation compared to the wild-type (WT). Real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that constitutive expression of SlTrxF up-regulated the expression of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) small subunit (AtAGPase-S1 and AtAGPase-S2), AGPase large subunit (AtAGPase-L1 and AtAGPase-L2) and soluble starch synthase (AtSSS I, AtSSS II, AtSSS III and AtSSS IV) genes involved in starch biosynthesis in the transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Meanwhile, enzymatic analyses showed that the major enzymes (AGPase and SSS) involved in the starch biosynthesis exhibited higher activities in the transgenic plants compared to WT. These results suggest that SlTrxF may improve starch content of Arabidopsis by regulating the expression of the related genes and increasing the activities of the major enzymes involved in starch biosynthesis.