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Production of very-high-amylose potato starch by inhibition of SBE A and B

Nature Biotechnology volume 18, pages 551–554 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

High-amylose starch is in great demand by the starch industry for its unique functional properties. However, very few high-amylose crop varieties are commercially available. In this paper we describe the generation of very-high-amylose potato starch by genetic modification. We achieved this by simultaneously inhibiting two isoforms of starch branching enzyme to below 1% of the wild-type activities. Starch granule morphology and composition were noticeably altered. Normal, high-molecular-weight amylopectin was absent, whereas the amylose content was increased to levels comparable to the highest commercially available maize starches. In addition, the phosphorus content of the starch was increased more than fivefold. This unique starch, with its high amylose, low amylopectin, and high phosphorus levels, offers novel properties for food and industrial applications.

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Figure 1: Western blot analysis of SBE A and B in tubers.
Figure 2: Light microscopy of starch granules.
Figure 3: Gel chromatography of starches.
Figure 4: Chain length distribution of starches.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Chris Sidebottom and Martine Debet for their contributions in the early phase of the project, Tina Sanders, Alice Belton, Alison Burrows, and Bob Cowper for their technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unilever Research Colworth, Colworth House, Sharnbrook, Bedford, MK44 1LQ, UK

    Gerhard P. Schwall, Richard Safford, Roger J. Westcott, Michael J. Gidley & Stephen A. Jobling

  2. National Starch and Chemical Company, 10 Finderne Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ 08807, USA

    Roger Jeffcoat, Akash Tayal & Yong-Cheng Shi

Authors
  1. Gerhard P. Schwall
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  2. Richard Safford
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  3. Roger J. Westcott
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  4. Roger Jeffcoat
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  5. Akash Tayal
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  6. Yong-Cheng Shi
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  7. Michael J. Gidley
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  8. Stephen A. Jobling
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Correspondence to Stephen A. Jobling.

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Schwall, G., Safford, R., Westcott, R. et al. Production of very-high-amylose potato starch by inhibition of SBE A and B. Nat Biotechnol 18, 551–554 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/75427

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