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The contributions of adenosine 5′-diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase and starch-branching enzyme to the control of starch synthesis in developing pea embryos

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Abstract

The contributions of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.27) and starch-branching enzyme (EC 2.4.1.18) to the control of the rate of starch synthesis in developing pea (Pisum sativum L.) embryos was investigated. Estimates were made of the deviation indices for changes in the activities of these enzymes at a point approximately halfway through embryo development, when starch was accumulating rapidly. The values for the deviation indices, and thus the flux control coefficients, were 0.1 for ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and 0.05 for starch-branching enzyme. Both values are low, suggesting that neither enzyme is of overriding importance in the control of starch synthesis in pea embryos.

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Abbreviations

ADPGpp:

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (adenosine 5′-diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase)

SBE:

starchbranching enzyme (1,4-α-d-glucan-6-glycosyl transferase)

SSS:

soluble starch synthase (ADP glucose: 1,4-α-d-glucan-4-glucosyl transferase)

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We are grateful to Cliff Hedley (John Innes Centre) for the seeds of near-isogenic lines of pea, to James Brown (John Innes Centre) for statistical analysis (Genstat 5), to Cathie Martin, Rod Casey and Chris Hylton for their constructive criticism of the manuscript, to Rachel Burton, Josephine Craig, Chris Hylton, James Lloyd, Jacqueline Marshall and Kim Tomlinson for help with the plastid preparations and to Jacqueline Marshall for help with the enzyme assays. This work was supported by funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council under the ‘biochemistry of metabolic regulation in plants’ initiative and from the European Community under contract C11* 0417-UK (SMA).

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Denyer, K., Foster, J. & Smith, A.M. The contributions of adenosine 5′-diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase and starch-branching enzyme to the control of starch synthesis in developing pea embryos. Planta 197, 57–62 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239939

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