Activity of granule-bound starch synthase is an important determinant of amylose content in rice endosperm

Effects of temperature on amylose synthesis in rice endosperm were investigated using 13 cultivars known to differ in amylose contents in endosperm. Both amylose content and granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS) activity was increased when endosperms were developed under lower temperature in low- and medium-amylose cultivars, while this was not the case for high-amylose cultivars. Amylose content in high-amylose cultivars was stable under different temperature, with varying GBSS activity. A nearly linear correlation between GBSS activity and amylose content was observed as far as activity levels about 250 nmol min(-1) g(-1) DW. These results suggest that GBSS activity is an important determinant of amylose content in endosperm of low- and medium-amylose cultivars, while factors other than the enzyme activity limit amylose synthesis in the high-amylose cultivars.