Starch Synthesis in Maize Endosperms

Research over the past three decades has greatly increased our understanding of starch biosynthesis in storage tissues, but our knowledge is still incomplete. Advances and areas of uncertainty are discussed with a focus on the maize mutants that have been useful in elucidating the process. This emphasis on mutant genes promises additional insights when we discover the role of several mutants known to affect starch synthesis and when we isolate mutations in genes encoding enzymes that have important roles in the process. The goal is a complete understanding of starch synthesis. This understanding will also facilitate the design of transgenic plants that might produce unique starches with promise as raw materials for industrial processes.