Abstract
Evidence is presented to show that the Sh locus specifies sucrose synthetase in the developing endosperm of maize. The sh/sh/sh endosperm possesses less than 10% sucrose synthetase activity as compared to the normal Sh/Sh/Sh endosperm. The residual enzyme activity in five independently derived mutant genotypes is attributable to a protein molecule of different electrophoretic and immunochemical specificities that is presumably independent of the sh locus. Sucrose synthetase activity in the embryo in both the genotypes is electrophoretically indistinguishable from the one present in the mutant endosperm. Mutant endosperm has a reduced starch content as compared to the normal. This observation constitutes genetic evidence supporting a critical role for sucrose synthetase in starch biosynthesis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akatsuka, T., and Nelson, O. E. (1966). Starch granule-bound adenosine diphosphate glucose-starch glucosyltransferase of maize seeds. J. Biol. Chem. 2412280.
Chourey, P. S. (1971). Interallelic complementation at the Sh locus in maize. Genetics 68435.
Chourey, P. S., and Schwartz, D. (1971). Ethyl methanesulfonate induced mutations of the Sh protein in maize. Mutation Res. 12151
Davis, B. J. (1964). Disc electrophoresis. II. Method and application to human serum protein. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 121404.
Delmer, D. P. (1972). The purification and properties of sucrose synthetase from etiolated Phaseolus aureus seedlings. J. Biol. Chem. 2473822.
Delmer, D. P., and Albersheim, P. (1970). The biosynthesis of sucrose and nucleoside diphosphate glucose in Phaseolus aureus. Plant Physiol. 45782.
Dickinson, D. B., and Preiss, J. (1969). Presence of adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase in sh 2and bt 2 mutants of maize endosperm. Plant Physiol. 441058.
Hannah, L. C., and Nelson, O. E. (1975). Characterization of adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase from developing maize seeds. Plant Physiol. 55297.
Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A. L., and Randall, R. J. (1951). Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193265.
McGuire, J. P., and Erlander, S. R. (1966). Quantitative isolation and dispersion of starch from corn kernels without degradation. Die Stärke 19337.
Murata, T. (1971). Regulatory properties of sucrose synthetase in sweet potato roots. Agr. Biol. Chem. 35297.
Murata, T., Sugiyama, T., and Akazawa, T. (1964). Enzymatic mechanism of starch synthesis in ripening rice grains. II. The ADP-glucose pathway. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 10792.
Murata, T., Sugiyama, T., and Akazawa, T. (1966). Enzymatic mechanism of starch synthesis in ripening rice grains. III. Mechanism of the sucrose-starch conversion. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 11334.
Nelson, N. (1944). A photometric adaptation of the Somogyi method for the determination of glucose. J. Biol. Chem. 153375.
Nomura, T., and Akazawa, T. (1973). Enzymatic mechanism of starch synthesis in ripening rice grains. VII. Purification and properties of sucrose synthetase. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 156644.
Perez, C. M., Perdon, A. A., Resurreccion, A. P., Villareal, R. M., and Juliano, B. O. (1975). Enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in the developing rice grain. Plant Physiol. 56579.
Preiss, J., Lammel, C., and Sabraw, A. (1971). A unique ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase associated with maize embryo tissue. Plant Physiol. 47104.
Pressey, R. (1969). Potato sucrose synthetase: Purification properties and changes in activity associated with maturation. Plant Physiol. 44759.
Roe, J. H. (1934). A colorimetric method for the determination of fructose in blood and urine. J. Biol. Chem. 10715.
Salamini, F., Tsai, C. Y., and Nelson, O. E. (1972). Multiple forms of glucosephosphate isomerase in maize. Plant Physiol. 50256.
Schwartz, D. (1960). Electrophoretic and immunochemical studies with endosperm proteins of maize mutants. Genetics 451419.
Shannon, J. C. (1972). Movement of 14C-labelled assimilates into kernels of Zea mays L. I. Pattern and rate of sugar movement. Plant Physiol. 49198.
Tsai, C. Y. (1974). Sucrose-UDP glucosyltransferase of Zea mays endosperm. Phytochemistry 13885.
Tsai, C. Y., and Nelson, O. E. (1966). Starch-deficient maize mutant lacking adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase activity. Science 151341.
Tsai, C. Y., Salamini, F., and Nelson, O. E. (1970). Enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in the developing endosperm of maize. Plant Physiol. 46299.
Turner, J. F., and Turner, D. H. (1975). The regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 26159.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and by National Institutes of Health Grant 15422.
Laboratory of Genetics Paper No. 1978.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chourey, P.S., Nelson, O.E. The enzymatic deficiency conditioned by the shrunken-1 mutations in maize. Biochem Genet 14, 1041–1055 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00485135
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00485135