Glucose Transfer from Adenosine Diphosphate-Glucose to Starch in Preparations of Waxy Seeds

Abstract

Preparation of starch granules from the developing seeds of 17 different waxy mutants of maize all transfer glucose from adenosine diphosphate-glucose to starch at about one-tenth of the rate of similar preparations from seeds of non-waxy maize. The source of most, if not all, of the activity in preparations from waxy mutants is a limited number of enzymatically active starch granules from the embryo and maternal tissue of the seed. All starch granules in these tissues appear to be enzymatically active. The endosperm which is the site of most starch synthesis and storage is apparently devoid of transferase activity.